Death Machine
by Ilandere Okami
Summary: 10-yr-old Raito was kidnapped to become an assassin for Wammy's House, which has a very mysterious past. That past might include L, the detective hired by Raito's parents to find him. 8 years later, a game has begun between the two geniuses.
1. The Investigation Starts

**Author's Note: _Completely edited author's note! This used to be a drabble, but I got enough feedback to keep it going...finally. Please enjoy. More serious of a fic than I was used to when starting, but now more as a cooloff story, like a few others. Yes, there is comedy, if you know where to look. Especially for sadists, like myself._**

**Summary: Raito Yagami was taken away from his family at age 10 to train at Wammy's House to become a lean, keen, mean killing machine and is now using the alias Light on his mission: eliminate criminals. L, the infamous private detective was hired by Light's parents soon after his kidnapping to find the boy. Now 8 years later, there are finally some new leads to point L in Light's direction. Will they both make it out alive?**

**Note: First person's Light's POV. Third person is either just third person or L's POV.**

**Warnings: Violence, gore, adult themes, language, yaoi in later chapters ((maybe)), screwed up ages ((Matt, Mello, and Near))**

**Spoilers: L's, Mello's, Matt's, and Near's real names, later**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. If I did, Near would've died. I do, however own this idea. ^-^**

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_**Chapter 1**_

_____

Perfect.

_PUNCH_

I have to be perfect.

_STAB_

I have to win every game I enter.

_KICK_

And not let a hair out of place.

_CRUNCH_

I must kill them all…perfectly.

_____

_**Eight years ago:**_

"Good-night, Raito," Sachiko Yagami cooed as she tucked in her little ten-year-old. She loved him so much. How could he ever do anything wrong, the perfect little angel? Soichiro Yagami stepped into the room, waiting to switch places with his wife. He had just tucked six-year-old Sayu, Raito's little sister, in bed.

Soichiro walked over to his perfect son's bed and whispered, "You know we love you, right?" Raito nodded. "Good. Keep on being the best you can be, perfect. Good-night."

"'Night, Dad," Raito's tired voice squeaked out. He smiled and closed his eyes, ready for a good night's sleep. His father left and closed the door behind him, exhausted and ready for bed.

When the whole house was quiet, everyone either falling asleep or already sleeping, Raito heard something odd outside his window. Thinking it was just a tree branch or a bug, he rolled over and tried to sleep. Again, the noise at his window, along with the creak of it being opened. The young boy sat bolt upright, staring at the glass slowly moving up, black gloved hands underneath. His eyes bugged out of his head and a scream worked its way up into his throat.

When the black-shrouded figure climbed through his window and into his room, creeping towards him, the scream of fright found its way out, quickly hushed by a cloth to his mouth. Movement was heard around the house as the rest of his family woke up. Raito fell unconscious, the cloth drugged.

The only thing his parents saw as they ran into his room was an open window, the curtains billowing into the room from the wind beginning to gust outside. Sachiko collapsed into her husband's arms and cried at the loss of her loved son.

_____

_**Present:**_

It took years of training to get where I am today. I'm the head of my division, one of the smartest, and the leader of my particular group. We call ourselves the Mid-Knights. I didn't come up with it, Matt did. It's one of the only things he can do, since he doesn't normally help us during battle. Sure, we call it battle, but in all honesty, all we do is go around killing those we are assigned to kill. We needed a name and Mello thought that since Matt was a computer whiz, he would be able to come up with a good name.

Damn Mello. The four of us were in the same group because we were the smartest in the whole academy. Forced together is more like it. I like working on my own, and so do the others, but sometimes, we have to work together. Sometimes, we are allowed on our own missions, which is what I like the best.

Matt, as I said before, is a computer whiz. He usually hacks into the security cameras so we won't be noticed, or tracks down whom we need.

Mello deals with actually getting inside, along with capturing, tying up, and or drugging anyone we don't need killed. He's also the one who designed our outfits. Man, I wish sometimes that I didn't assign him to do that. The leather jumpsuits were always riding up my ass.

Near plans all our attacks and kills. All we get is a name and face then he and Matt work together from there.

And then there's me, Light. I am the one who goes in for the kill. My skills with that are phenomenal. I can use any weapon, any move. I've been tied up before and still been able to murder. That's why I'm the leader. There are other groups like us, but they don't get the big missions.

Part of being a killing machine is being a machine. We cannot have any emotions, cannot remember our pasts. Right from the beginning, they forced me to go through hours of meditation to block out my past, my family, my old life. Now I can't remember anything and am glad for that. I would've been a wreck otherwise. I can't even remember my real name. Neither can the others. We were all taken when we were ten and brought here, to Wammy's House, to train as killing machines.

We were all personally selected by our leader, Watari, to come here. Then kidnapped at night, leaving our families in states of complete distress. Like it mattered to us anymore. We have no feelings, have no reason to love, have nobody _to_ love.

_____

_**Eight Years Ago:**_

The strange black-haired man walked into the Yagami's house without as much as a greeting. He was brought to the living room, where he sat peculiarly on one of the armchairs, across from the worried parents. He then took out a pad and pen, ready to take notes.

"You are L, correct?" Soichiro asked the man. "The private detective?"

With a small sigh, but no emotion shown on his face, the man answered in a monotone, "Yes, I am L. I would think that the one who hired me should already know that. But please, for future reference, refer to me as Ryuzaki." The father seemed shocked by the abruptness. "Now, you said your son was kidnapped two nights ago, correct?"

Sachiko was the one who answered. "Yes. You see, we tucked him into bed and left to go to sleep ourselves. Then maybe ten or twenty minutes later, we heard him scream, but the scream was cut off. We ran as fast as we could to his room. But he was already gone, his window open wide." By the end, tears had started to fall again and she became chocked up once more. Soichiro wrapped his arms around her and held her close, letting her cry into his chest.

Still, L showed no emotion. He had seen this too many times to show anything. And he was trained years ago to let his feelings never show. "Your son is ten, correct?"

They nodded. "Turned ten just last month, February," Soichiro said somewhat proudly.

It was L's turn to nod. He wrote something down then said, "I have no idea where Raito currently is, sorry. I do have a vague idea, but…" He sighed. The memories were painful, and he often tried blocking them out. Still, they showed up in nightmares, and that was why he now suffered from insomnia. He asked a few more questions on Raito's appearance and personality, trying to obtain as much information as possible.

It turned out that Raito was extremely intelligent, more so than anyone else he'd ever competed against mentally. L wondered if he ever met the boy, they would be able to have an intellectual talk. It had been a while since he had had one, but alas, the boy was only ten. Raito's genius was one of the clues L had as to his whereabouts. Another was his physical strength and stamina. The boy was a tennis champion for his age group. L again wondered that if they were ever to meet, they could play a game or two.

He shook his head to stop it from wandering, as it did so often, and stood to leave the gloomy household.

"Wait, I have another question, Mr. Ryuzaki," Soichiro called out as L was walking out of the living room.

L turned around in surprise, but didn't show it on his face. "Please, just Ryuzaki. And what is your question?"

The older man took a deep breath while looking the detective up and down. L had the vague notion that he was checking him out, but knew that was completely false and suppressed the awkward feeling. Finally, Soichiro asked, "Just how old are you?"

Slightly taken aback by the question, L thought back to his last birthday. He believed he was seventeen now. Yes, he had tried going to a bar and see what it was like to drink illegally, but after one sip of beer, quickly tore off to the bathroom to puke up the remains of a delicious cake…that wasn't so great the second time around. He knew that when his twenty-first came around, that was one thing he wasn't going to look forward to. That was back in October if he could remember correctly. His birthday was one of the few memories he had retained from his childhood.

"I see no need for you to know that, but if you must, I am seventeen."

The Yagamis' eyes widened. Sachiko let out, "But you're so young!" L just sighed and turned around, exiting the house once and for all. He knew he was young, but he never truly showed his age. He probably looked a little older than he was currently was, and acted even older. But that was one of the side effects of his life prior to detective work.


	2. A New Mission Failed

**_Summary: Raito Yagami was taken away from his family at age 10 to train at Wammy's House to become a lean, keen, mean killing machine and is now using the alias Light on his mission: eliminate criminals. L, the infamous private detective was hired by Light's parents soon after his kidnapping to find the boy. Now 8 years later, there are finally some new leads to point L in Light's direction. Will they both make it out alive?_**

**Author's Note: What's this? The third story I started in August finally being updated? IS IT A MIRACLE?! Well, no. I finally got inspiration back for this. And the original idea I had, which was Light's present-day shit mixed w/ L's past shit until he caught up w/ Light...well, when I was able to start writing L's part for this chapter, I ditched that ideat that I've had since the beginning. Now it's all in present time.**

**Just a heads up, I tried keeping them in character, but Matt's...well...he really had no character to begin w/ and I've never given him this personality before, so I did 'cause we needed some comic relief, okay?**

**Oh, and to those who wished for this to be LxLight, it will be. I'm still deciding if I want some side MattxMello or keep it how it is...or...OO IDEA! Which I'm not tell you guys.**

**Note: First person's Light's POV. Third person is L's POV.**

**Warnings: Well, for this chapter...mentions of violence and stalking. ^_-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. If I did...*drools* However, I do own this whole idea, thank you very much.**

**Chapter 2**

_____

I knocked on the door to Mello's room, not wishing to get another black eye to my perfect face from entering without permission. His attitude really needed an adjustment, but we were assigned to the same team; he was vital to our mission.

And today, our mission was another mafia member. I wanted Mello to be the first to know, just in case we had to turn it down…again. For some reason, he admired those idiots and sometimes dreams that if he was never brought here, to Wammy's, he'd be a mafia boss. I laughed in his face at that, Near recited everything illogical with his dreams, and Matt just grinned like an idiot. How was he even chosen to come here? Such an annoying simple mind…

Silence. There was no answer from the other side of the door, meaning Mello wasn't in his room. Either that or he truly didn't wish to see me—highly probable. We didn't get along that well. Matt said it was because our personalities were too similar, and clashed too easily. Yeah, he is actually very good at perceiving other's emotions. It's one of the reasons he's left behind on our missions; he's still sensitive and no amount of shock therapy is going to help.

I turned around and headed back to my room, prepared to call a meeting of the Mid-Knights…I still can't believe that's our name.

Once I entered the small space, I pressed the intercom on my computer. "Near, Mello, Matt, come to my room now; we have another mission." It's specifically designed so only the four of us can hear the call—another of our brilliant leader's inventions.

Several minutes passed before my door opened and Matt and Near entered. My questioning gaze landed on Matt, who answered, "Mello snuck out for some chocolate again." I sighed and looked away, more than slightly annoyed. This wasn't the first time—and it definitely won't be the last—but I wish that he wouldn't choose such inconvenient times. Nevertheless, it gave him ample practice; Wammy's House is a high security building after all.

"I think we should call him, just to mess up his mission," Near stated. Even if Mello and I didn't get along, he and Near absolutely hated each other. "I think he's just inside our grounds now, if Matt's tracking devise is correct."

My eyes widened slightly, narrowing as I directed my attention once more to Matt. "What?" he asked innocently. "I thought that since he always snuck out…" His voice trailed off when I actually slam my head to the table we were sitting at. "Boss?"

"Oh, just ignore him. You know how much stress he's been under lately," Near chided.

Stress was right: I now had to deal with someone actually following us on our missions. Mello and I almost screwed up three already because of the abnormalities we weren't expecting. Someone was watching us, spying on us. And they seemed to be as well trained as us as well. Overall, not good.

_____

L stared at his computer screen, surprised with the data he had been able to hack. It had taken hours, but the final password was too easy to figure out, seeing as it was a requirement that all Wammy's House residents were to have that password somewhere in their security, and L hadn't had to use it yet. Most likely, others would have given up before getting so far, but the detective had ample time.

He had already taken eight years with this single case, fine with not taking any others—money was no problem for his clients. What were a few extra days?

And now, it seemed that with this little bit of information unknowingly vital to his investigation, the case would come to a close quite soon. I already was able to track them during their missions outside of Wammy's, but was unable to actually locate the building itself. And he really didn't wish to be caught in the middle of an assassination when Light was involved. L was supposed to remain alive to solve this case.

So, the only logical action was to spend eight years tracking down Light and his team, ultimately leading him to their home.

Wammy's House was a building in an undisclosed location somewhere in the world. There, boys and girls are trained from age ten to lose their humanity and turn into mindless killing robots, otherwise known as assassins. The leader of this all, Quillish Wammy, was a rogue inventor who went slightly insane upon discovering this new idea. The assassins were assigned teams, each member with a specific job when tracking and killing those they are assigned. Every murder was of a criminal, for Wammy wished to create the perfect world. All members of Wammy's House were brainwashed into the same thinking.

It had taken about a year for L to focus his attention on Europe, another two to discover Wammy's was in England. Since then, he had spent most of his time tracking down every criminal killed, trying to understand some sort of pattern to know which Light's were and which were all the other teams. Sadly, he had to wait two more years until Light actually was sent out to kill.

L immediately took notice of the new team, who were quicker than shadows, able to get their job done with no extra mess. Only once before had there been a team that skilled, and that was almost seven years ago.

Now, three years since his new leads, and many puzzle pieces in their place, the final piece was finally found. And it was right inside a genius's computer—a genius who lacked common sense. If Mello and Light's conversations during their missions were anything to go by, this was "Matt's" computer. Being sure to cover his tracks, but leaving a small trail to be able to access the technology in the future, L pulled out of Matt's hard drive with his newfound information.

A tracking chip was put on one of the members of the group, who often left Wammy's to go to a convenience store nearby. The data was stored for only a week, but already three trips had been made, meaning there was a central point that he stayed in most of the time.

L had finally found Wammy's. And his road to Light.

* * *

**Author's Note: Not a very long chapter, but I didn't want to give anything away. Plus, next chapter should be interesting...*wink***

**The biggest question for next chapter: What the hell will L do w/ this newfound info?! AND WILL MELLO MAKE IT BACK W/O BEING CAUGHT?! ^-^ Review please.**


	3. Dead Ends and Plans

**Author's Note: I have little less than an hour to post this in honor of Light's death day. RIP, Kira.**

**Anyways, as my blog said a while back, I started writing this chapter at DIMS's house during a sleepover, high off of crazy fumes of friendship ((and at like 2 in the morning)). However, I finished Light's part a few days later, when I came up w/ an explaination for the stupidity. Today, this morning, I was fantasizing about being a spy ((random)) and somehow got the Death Note as a spy weapon stuck in my head, forcing me to think about this story, which then gave me some ideas. Later this morning, I figured out L's part and wrote it.**

**Several notes are at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or any of its characters. However, I do own this idea.**

* * *

Chapter 3

_____

Finally, I looked up to Matt and Near, who had been watching me for the past five minutes that I hadn't moved. "Don't discuss any of that. As far as we know, whoever out there could have this place bugged. We aren't safe anywhere anymore." As the words came out of my mouth, I realized how true they were. Would we not be able to continue our missions? Would we even have to leave Wammy's for good?

Only one team had been able to do that before, almost ten years ago. But we had been able to reach their skill level in the recent months. We all wished to surpass that team, and with four members, instead of their three, it was actually quite easier. Our jobs were split more evenly. We didn't have to worry about so much, and four minds are better than three are, anyway.

But no, we were not going to escape. It would be suicidal. Mello being able to do so was because he was the ultimate expert at stealth. Matt and Near? Not very cat-like, I'm afraid. Matt was mainly here because of his computer genius after all. He lacked too many traits to be a spy. It was sad, really. And Near was really just for his brains; he wasn't physically fit. Mello and I were the true masters. So maybe we were actually not able to surpass that other team because of this…

I stopped my thoughts, knowing it was horrible to think of my team like this. They were my team, no matter how much I hated them all.

A beeping came from Matt's butt and I gave him a weird look. He took out a small devise that I had never seen before. "He's on the House grounds," Matt said, looking at the small screen. He fished into his pocket again and pulled out a small phone I knew that he shared with Mello. They were the only ones who were actually friends in the Mid-Knights.

"Are you actually going to call him?" Near questioned. "Wait, let me do it." He reached his hand out for the small phone. I just leaned my head down slightly and rubbed the bridge of my nose. How _did_ we get anywhere, anyway? Seriously, with the way we bicker with each other and how Near was acting so childish right now…which, by the way, isn't very natural.

With a giggle, Matt handed over his phone and Near pressed the call button. It didn't take too long for a hiss at the other end, "Matt, what the hell do you want?"

Near snickered and I just sighed, standing and walking over to my bed. Once there, I fell backwards and closed my eyes.

"Hey, Mello, did you know that this cell phone has a signal?"

"Wait, what? Near?"

That's when the sirens went off. Flashing red lights filled the room and the hallways. A woman's voice announced to the whole school, "This is not a drill, there is an intruder sending out a signal from our grounds. I repeat: this is not a drill." I just shook my head and flung my arm over my eyes. The lights really weren't helping my headache.

The scuffles of numerous feet could be heard from outside me room, and Matt and Near just burst into laughs. Okay, now I was worried. For their sanity and mine. Not so much for Mello's safety. He was probably already safe.

Finally, I turned to the two teenagers lying on the ground in giggle fits, about to get medical help. That's when I smelled it: smoke. It wasn't the normal smoke from a fire, but the kind that stays on your clothes. I shot up and stormed over to the two laughing teens. "Matt!" I yelled. "What the hell did you two smoke?!"

"Why're you asking me? Could've been Near…" The effects were starting to take over. I needed answers now before something bad happened to my team members!

Near let loose another giggle before sighing and saying, "Linda said it would help loosen us up…They thought we were too uptight…" They? Linda's whole team? She, Naomi, and Halle, an all-girls team vying to beat us. Not that that can happen, especially when they meddled in the affairs of others. After all, Naomi secretly was dating Raye Penber, an American FBI agent she had met on a mission. They somehow remained in contact and Naomi, as skilled as Mello—and wearing just as much leather—often snuck out to go on dates with him.

Halle? I had spotted her flirting with Mello, who was both falling under her spell as well as acting completely obtuse to her advances. Linda, nevertheless, was the worst. She was always trying to _help_ of all things! But now I understand why she is so insane: she smokes something that isn't just the cigarettes Matt's addicted to. Let's just hope she hadn't gotten him and Near addicted to whatever it is.

A simple Matt and a stoic Near I can deal with. Two teenagers, almost adults, trained assassins…acting like little five-year-olds? Now, _that_ is something completely different. I was never good with children. Mello was, however, because he has had to deal with them on missions. Man, I hoped he was inside by now, just sneaking around the patrolling students.

_____

L stared at the program on his computer screen. It showed the information to make a specific drug. The drug was not his own invention, but that of an old acquaintance. He couldn't believe that after so many years of no contact, he was still able to communicate with the mostly-insane man. The man was in hiding now, just as he was.

The detective missed his old teammate more than he thought. Just the simple communication caused memories that had been previously shut away to surface. The man was his copy, someone who went to extreme lengths to look just like his idol, only a few months older than he.

A pity his insanity caught up with him that night, long ago…

But now, he was mostly stable, memories also locked away, just like L. He continued his experiments, and thus, L was able to get the list of ingredients, places needed to get those ingredients, and directions on how to make a drug that will _definitely_ help with his case right now.

The drug was odorless, colorless, dissolved in any liquid so much that it would be almost impossible to find in a person's system, even through a toxicological autopsy. The drug took effect almost instantly, shutting down different functions and organs in the body, also giving the effect of a heart attack. For an unfathomable reason, L's old friend called it the Death Note.

And L would use this to get closer to Light. By using the small path he had left to the computer Light's team used, he could dominate and win. He knew Light knew he was spying during their missions. What Light didn't know was that he knew his exact location. Now things will get a little more extreme, much more dangerous.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yeah yeah, I know it's short...((at least L's part))**

**DIMS, when reading L's part, told me that I copied _The Princess Bride_ almost word for word for the Death Note drug. Hehe, didn't realize it at the time. However, I want this to be logical and something L would use. So...yeah...**

**Questions I would love for you to answer in your reviews:**

**1. What do you guys think of the girls team? They're the only awesome girls in the whole series really ((though I know nothing of Linda and therefore have used the personality I've found through many different fanfics and giving her that blank character leeway that we use w/ Matt.)) Naomi doesn't have that big of a part, but Halle does. Linda's more...comic relief it almost seems like!**

**2. What do you think L's gonna do? I know, but can't say...Oh, yeah. See, I had almost NO plot for this until I came up w/ that Death Note drug. Now I have plot through to the climax, but am unsure where to go from there...**

**3. Are you putting the puzzle pieces together? There're clues in both L and Light's parts, but L just gave away something HUGE that I will die if you didn't understand.**

**4. Misa and Takada, Mikami...none have appeared. You want them to? And how?**


	4. A Find and a Catch

**Author's Note: *sigh* I haven't updated since January, and I thoroughly apologize. Well, I've kept you waiting long enough, so just one thing: Finally.**

**Warnings: Uh...None really.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. However, I do own the idea for Death Machine. ^-^**

* * *

Chapter 4

I wish we were allowed to kill members of other teams. Linda almost cost me my whole team! And then I wouldn't be allowed the biggest missions, and her team probably would.

Mello returned safely, decided that we shouldn't go on this specific mission—what a surprise—and then went off to eat chocolate in his room, Matt following like a puppy after him.

I gave one look at Near, still on the floor, calming down through his slight giggle outbursts, and pulled him over my shoulder. I carried him back to his room and plopped him on his bed before going back to my room and taking a much-deserved nap.

Our next mission came a week later. That same day, while Matt and Near started their research on the man—a businessman who'd been killing off members of other businesses to help his own—Matt discovered a small trace of a pathway to his computer.

"Light, can you come look at this?" he called over to me, as Mello and I were discussing what kind of killing method would work on this guy. I sighed and stood behind him, peering over his shoulder.

On the screen was some sort of code, mostly binary and stuff that I would never dream of understanding. Basic hacking was part of the deal when training at Wammy's, but Matt's skill and mind went beyond that. This just looked like a bunch of random digits and letters. "What am I supposed to be looking at?" I asked.

Matt sighed and Near gave me a sympathetic look, though I'm sure he didn't understand it either. "It's a path, extremely small. Has to be an insider's job." At everyone's blank look, he continued. "Someone from Wammy's has hacked into my computer, dammit!"

My eyes widened and my mind started to race. Who would need to—or even want to—know what was on Matt's computer? Unless…that other spy, the one following us! Did Wammy sic him on us? A test of some sort? Perhaps he wanted us to somehow beat him at his own game, thus being rewarded somehow. Yes, that would be ideal.

But since when has my life been ideal? Still, the only way for somebody to get all the way through and into Matt's computer was for somebody to know certain Wammy codes and such. Therefore, someone who currently works here…or used to…

The stories were told as ghost stories to the newer children. I used to be one of them. But now I think it was time to learn the truth about the escaped team.

"Heh, good work Matt," I murmur before heading towards the door. "I need to go talk with our leader."

"Oh, please don't tell him!" Matt called after my retreating back. I heard a whack and knew he was slapped upside the head. I sighed at his simplicity. I wasn't going to go tell our leader that my own teammate let somebody access vital information about all of us. That would be suicidal.

After climbing several stories, I neared a door labeled "Dr. Watari" and knocked politely. A quiet "You may enter" sounded from inside before my second knock finished. I knew he had a security camera right outside, and therefore knew I was standing at his door. The door opened on its own and I stepped through hesitantly, though also with grace and precision, as if I had an important purpose—which I did.

"Light, what a pleasant surprise," Watari smiled warmly at his favorite student and assassin, wrinkles forming on his old skin. "Are you here to tell me Mello refuses to another mission? This man is utterly bad, a nuisance. He must be stopped. And he isn't part of the Mafia, so I see no reason why he would refuse."

After a small chuckle I replied, "No, this has nothing to do with Mello or our current mission. The others are working right now, and I had a bit of free time and wished to speak with you."

His grey eyebrows pulled together slightly. "You should be working, Light," he told me. "There's no such thing as free time. I'll give you an extra, one-person mission if you'd like. In fact, I think I have one right here." He began to reach behind him into his unending file cabinet of evildoers. But for once, I didn't jump at the opportunity to work by myself.

"Oh, actually, Dr. Watari, I don't wish for an extra mission right now. We have our hands full with our current man."

He smiled back at me. "Well, then you should go back and help your team. That's what teamwork is all about, no?" His smile was turning creepy, but before I could be completely freaked out, I got straight to the point.

"Yes, I should, but I have an undying curiosity eating away at me. I cannot continue working until you tell me."

"And what exactly should I tell you, Light?" His expression turned hard, calculating.

I took a deep breath and asked the question implanted in every person to walk through the doors of Wammy's House for the past decade. "Please, what happened to LABB?"

_____

It took a full week, but L finally had all the ingredients needed to make the Death Note. He also had a full plan worked out, a beautiful plan he hadn't created the likes of in years.

As he walked back into his hotel room, he glanced at his computer. He had an odd feeling—call it intuition—that he should check it, see what was going on back at Wammy's House. Every day for the past week, he'd been checking to see who the team's next mission was. So far, he'd come up empty handed.

After carefully placing the last of the items in his fridge or extra cupboard he had just for the Death Note—he didn't know how much of the concoction he would need, so he was making a lot, just in case—L walked to his computer sitting idly on the coffee table where he'd left it.

He took a deep breath before following the path he had made the first time through the system to Matt's computer. One would think that after going through the same process as many times as he had, it would be child's play. But no, it was still almost as difficult as it was the first time. He couldn't make one wrong move or he'd be detected.

AHA! This was it! A new mission, a new man! And someone L was actually familiar with. He'd heard of this company before, and in his free time—there seemed to be quite a lot, sans recently—and had figured out that one of the employees had been killing off members of other businesses to help his own strive. Yotsuba was the company, but L had yet to figure out which of eight men was the one behind these killings.

And now someone had narrowed it down to one. Kyosuke Higuchi. Out of the eight men, he didn't call attention to himself as the killer, or mastermind behind the killings, but perhaps it was a group thing and Higuchi was the one who actually killed. If that's the case, then L could understand why Watari would only want him killed…at the moment.

Ah…Watari, Dr. Quillish Wammy…such an interesting and complex man.

But that's not what L was supposed to be thinking about right now. No, he needed to focus on the task at hand. What was his first move going to be? Be ready at Higuchi's, or get to him first? Well, he certainly wanted to have a bit of fun before confronting Light.

The boy had caused him a lot of trouble, and eight years spent tracking him down deserved some sort of reward more than money. And playing a game with Light seemed very worth it.

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**Author's Notes: Okay, here are all my notes for the chapter. Yes, that's right, now you know the other team's name. Just saying, it's pronounced L.. not "lab."**

**Other notes? Well, L's part gave away more to his character and his plan. I hope you picked it up. Also, we're finally getting somewhere!! L's part's the one that shows that, since you obviously know what's gonna happen in Light's part next chapter. YAY! I already started writing that part of the chapter during school and it's going really well.**

**Now, it took me a little while to decide if I should add onto L's part something that connected it back to Light's part/ Matty's find, but decided against it. It's too good to add to that ending.**

**Any questions or concerns, or just wish to be insanely kind, review please! I do reply to every single review personally and personalized, just saying. Oh, and when I say "concerns," I mean it. See, this story started as a drabble, and has since developed. If there's something in earlier chapters that I've gotten rid of or have discluded, or have changed in later chapters, please tell me so and I will fix the problem.**

**AH! ONE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT!! ((For those who've already read this, I added it in several hours later)): There will be no romance or romantic love between L and Light. I repeat: As far as I know w/ how the story is going to play out, logically speaking and keeping the characters in character, there will be no romance between L and Light. There might be brotherly love, though. And there _will_ be other pairings and romance, just not w/ these guys. Thanx for reading. ^-^**


	5. Sigh and Cry

**Author's Note: I was gonna updated Frozen Hearts or Life Note next, both of which have chapters partially written at the moment. This and Imperfection have chapters arlready written. Why not grace you guys w/ a quick update? XP**

**So, anyways, I left you guys on a pretty big cliffhanger last chapter, didn't I? Light just asked about LABB, and L is about to have some fun w/ Light! MUAHAHA! Anyways, here, this chapter, you FINALLY get the info you've been dying for. And a bit from L as well, though his part raises even more questions. *sigh* I know the answer to most, but one I came up w/ on the spot and now the ages are slightly messed up...sorta. You'll see...((but I fixed it up in my own personal timeline.))**

**Anyways, I've realized that this story is sorta like a tribute to Death Note if you can understand that. There are so many references to Death Note, it's insane. I guess it's one of those where there are a million references and characters pop out of nowhere. BTW, I still haven't decided on how Misa, Takada, and Mikami are gonna be appearing, so there's always that to think about for you guys. Meaning? Suggestions wanted!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or anything associated w/ it. ((Meaning I don't own Another Note either...I own a copy tho!)) I do, however, own this idea. ^0^**

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Chapter 5

_**~Light~**_

Team LABB, the greatest team of assassins ever to walk through the doors of Wammy's House—and the only to walk out alive. As soon as I began at Wammy's, the elder students told me about this team. Sadly, the members liked to live in solitude, and thus nobody knew much about them from the start. Watari made sure to wipe out most memories of them from almost everyone's minds. Nevertheless, some kept certain facts from being taken away—the name, the amount of group members – 3 – and their legacy.

After I asked about LABB—pronounced as the letters, not the like the word "lab," remember that—Watari's eyes widened slightly. In shock or in fear, either way, they're both forbidden to us. But then eyes narrowed in both suspicion and anger.

Before he could respond, I said, "You have always taught us to go to any lengths to satisfy our curiosities. Well, I'm more than curious about LABB and you're the only one—besides the actual members—who actually remember anything about them."

A small smile graced his mustached face and a sigh escaped him. My leader looked tired, weary. "They were my prodigies, my masterpiece."

I sat up straighter, attentive. "LABB was comprised of three members—L, A, and BB. L was their leader, and the one in charge of strategy. A did the research—just as Matt and Near do for the Mid-Knights. And BB went in for the kill. He and L worked…very well together." The pause implied something; I knew it.

He continued. "BB looked up to L in such a way that he changed his appearance to look just like his leader. And yet, he cared very much for A. I have reason to suspect that those two had a secret relationship." I glared. This information was fascinating! But romantic relationships were forbidden, unnecessary, and a burden. Could this have been their downfall?

"They were a brilliant team, geniuses. I believe that is where I messed up." My eyes widened slightly, now. Our leader, messing up? Making a mistake? That was impossible! Keeping secrets from him was one thing, but causing him to mess up?! "I can see you're worried. Do not; that was my only mistake, ever, and I don't plan on making any more."

He eyed me knowingly before going on. "They were _too_ smart, _too_ clever. They saw how the outside world worked and could figure out certain things—lies—about here. There was freedom, justice, and pleasure outside these walls…or so they thought. I do not control you, dear Light. BB thought I did. You have freedom, don't you?" I nodded robotically.

"And justice is all a lie, as well. What those on the outside call 'justice' is a falsehood. There's no such thing, though that is where L went. And A thought he was being tortured here, thought we lacked pleasure. There is no such thing as _real_ pleasure, _real_ fun. You know that, too.

"And so they tried to escape. As I said, A and BB most likely had a relationship. A was also their weakness. In ways I'd rather not say, I found out part of their escape plans. I was not losing my best team! They could disclose our location, compromise our mission. I set other teams on them the day of their escape. They were overwhelmed, but, as I see it, A sacrificed himself so that BB and L could get away. He wasn't as skilled as those two; he didn't stand a chance…"

He stopped and remained still, and I just stared at him. Finally, I voiced, "What happened to L and BB?" Watari said something about L in justice…

"L is a private detective. Sadly, last I heard, he isn't taking any new cases because he is still working on one that he started eight years ago." Eight years ago…that was the time when I came here. I didn't know why I thought that, but it was an odd coincidence.

"And BB?" I prompted, trying to get my mind away from myself.

Watari shook his head. "My best killer…" I simmered slightly. I was his best now, wasn't I? "I don't know," he finally answered. "He watched a friend die right before his eyes. No matter how many men and women—and that one child—he had killed himself, BB _knew_ A, and, possibly, _loved_ him. I'd be surprised if he isn't dead by now as well. At least, I know he's in hiding if not."

"What was the case L took on eight years ago?" I decided to ask next. It was worth a shot and Watari seemed in the mood to talk. Might as well take advantage of it.

He had been staring at his hands. At my question, the older man glanced up. "Hmm…finding a missing boy. He'll never find him, though…" His face and the tone of his voice gave away the fact that he knew more than he was letting on. But why would he hint at such a thing to me? He knew how to keep such things out of his features, so did he want me to have this uncomfortable feeling deep in my chest from his words?

His gaze traveled to his computer, and then did a double take. "Today's the anniversary," he muttered. "Now, out. Get back to your mission."

I quickly shot up and exited the office. This was definitely a very productive day.

_**~L~**_

_PLUNK PLUNK…PLUNK_

L dropped a good number of sugar cubes into his tea, decided to add one more for good measure, and then looked back to his computer. Time to get back out of Matt's computer. The process was just as long to get out as to get in.

After a while, L reached for his drink. The pause was going to be too long, so he tried typing with only one hand. One hand caused one small mistake that could be the one thing to get L caught.

His tea dropped to the ground, the cup shattering, and his hands raced across his computer keys. Hours—not minutes—later, L sat back in his chair, panting deep breaths. He managed to get out without being traced, but he knew Matt knew that someone had broken into his computer.

This was great, just great. He was caught. Light and his team would know he had information on them. he was caught; he couldn't do this again. And when he had finally gotten somewhere!

…Wait…this could work to his advantage. Yes…this is just the beginning of his game…

"Hmm?" L glanced at a small calendar off to the side, hanging on a wall nearby. The day was outlined in a black lace design L had drawn on New Year's Day, when he had first cracked open the new calender. A sigh filled the room as L sunk deeper into his chair.

Moments later, he stood and walked to his bedroom. There, he fished something out of a drawer. Before his life became like this, about ten years ago, he knew a young girl, probably ten or eleven at the time. Before it was trained out of her, the girl was a fabulous drawer, especially for her age. Linda was her name.

In his hands, L held the only picture in the world of himself, and his two old best friends. Though it was a pencil drawing, he had kept it perfectly preserved. He touched the glass protecting the page delicately.

In the drawing, his face was slightly concealed by his shy posture. Next to him stood a strikingly similar boy with wild eyes squeezing a lighter-haired boy. That one was burying his face into the other's neck.

"I'm sorry, A," L breathed.

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**Author's Note: How'd you like that for an explanation? You pretty much get their full story, as well as confirming L's "friend" from a few chapters ago is indeed BB. But now you only have speculations of BBxA, not confirmed. L will provide an explanation...eventually. I think I know the perfect place, yay!**

**And Light's part offers a lot of info on Watari that I bet you were wondering about. And to clarify things, 'cause there's no reason to keep this a secret: He's called Watari by students. Outside, he is usually Wammy, 'kay? Good.**

**So, questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, etc, please review! I love getting 'em and they fuel my want to write this story. W/o you guys, I'd be a lonely fangirl typing up nonsensical shit. ^_-**

**Oh, and btw, it's really hard to type w/ long nails. AKA 1/4 inch long nails. And no, they're not fake. O.o  
And yes, I am upset that these chapters are so fucking short! ."**


	6. Attack!

**Author's Note: Alright, so, finally a new chapter. Pulled it out of my ass. No plot. Decided to move...certain...things along. You know, when I said there wasn't going to be any LxLight romance, I also said there's another bit of love/romance in here. You finally get it.**

**Also, I still hadn't decided what Mikami, Takada, and Misa were going to be until one of their entrances in this chapter. Honestly, I wanted to surprise you guys w/ something you hadn't thought of! MUAHAHA!**

**Warning: There's some violence this chapter. And hinting at character death. Yay. Also, I suck at writing actiony things, seeing as I've never really tried before. I hope you understand what's going on at certain points.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note or its characters. However, I completely own this plot. Ah, and I love adding in little cracks and Easter Eggs here and there for DN...XP Oh, and I own the design for the A that appears in this chapter/story in general. ^_-**

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Chapter 6

_**Light**_

I stared at the scene in front of me, my gaze traveling over the five people in my room, face indifferent, mind a wreck.

Near was sitting as he normally did, fingers twirling his white hair. Mello was sitting on my bed, watching the scene before him unfold. Linda was yelling for Matt and Halle to stop trying to kill each other, as they were rolling around on the ground.

Halle easily had the upper hand and I stayed in my position at the door—which was now shut, so others wouldn't hear the disturbance. In no time, Matt was pinned beneath the older girl.

"Someone care to explain what I've just witnessed?" I asked the room in general. Everybody looked up in shock—except Near, who obviously knew I was there, as was his nature. "Well?"

At that moment, the door behind me pushed open, knocking me to the ground in an ungraceful landing. I quickly leapt up and assumed a fighting stance. But whoever had barged in was not behind me anymore. Instead, the black-haired woman stood poised above Halle and Matt, gun in hand.

"I got the distress call," she said. Halle sighed and got off Matt before holding out her hand to help him up. He swatted the hand away and pushed himself up from the floor. All the while, Naomi's gun stayed pointed at Matt's head. Her gaze was hard and she refused to back off.

I ran up to the woman threatening my teammate and flipped over her head, grabbing her gun in the middle of my turn and landing with my back to her. I immediately faced her and held the gun to her heart. We were equally matched with a gun; she wouldn't try to stop me.

"Now…" I said slowly, "somebody better explain to me why my techy and your infiltration specialist were tackling each other…in _my_ room." I turned in a circle, gun resting on the heart of everyone in the room before settling on Halle.

She raised an eyebrow at me and stated, "He started it."

"Cut the crap! Don't act like such children and tell me what the hell happened!" I yelled, getting fed up with nobody listening to me today.

Linda sighed before answering, finally, "Halle was flirting with Mello. And Matt, who obviously has a thing for the guy, didn't like it, so he tried to stop her as quickly as possible. You know, I think that sitting at a computer all day has softened him up. I suggest sending him through some more training." She smiled innocently at me once done. My glare never wavered.

Then a thought ran through my head. I quickly whipped around to face Mello. He was staring straight ahead, unable to comprehend what was going on. Ha, he really didn't know. He honestly didn't know that the one person in this school he could call a friend was actually crushing on him, perhaps in love with him.

And Halle was just attracted to him…plus liked to annoy and egg on Matt. What a world, what a world…

"What is going on here?" asked an eerily calm voice. My gun still pointing at Halle, my head whipped around with everyone else. When Naomi had burst through the door, she hadn't closed it after her. And therefore, our shouts had been heard down the halls.

In front of us stood a very upset man in a dark suit, black hair straightened and framing his bespectacled face…that held absolutely no emotion except a slight annoyance and boredom. Mikami-sensei.

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_**L**_

L stared at the drawing in his hands with longing plain in his eyes. After a few moments of just trying to remember that hidden face, L plopped down on his bed, legs un-crouched. He didn't need, didn't _want_ his reasoning abilities to just remember…

"_You don't look so great, A…Are you sure we should go along with this?" BB asked in concern. His red eyes reflected his worry for his friend. An arm snaked its way around A's small shoulders and pulled him closer to the raven-haired teen._

_Wide eyes stared up at his best friend's own. "I'm fine, really," he replied._

_L's brows furrowed, uneasy about everything. There was something in the air, a tension that he hadn't planned for. BB had felt it too; and knew the source. A was never the most confident in his own abilities. The brown hair that usually covered his eyes was messier than usual; his eyes were both tired and jittery, jumping from one place to another rather quickly._

"_BB's right, A," L finally voiced. He glanced around his room, which he had already checked for bugs. Was there something his friend wasn't telling him?_

"_I-I'm really okay! We need to go if we want to g-get out of…here…" His forceful voice was not enough to convince either twin-like boy, but they said nothing. A, while holding a weak spot for his only two friends, especially BB, was also extremely stubborn._

_L nodded his head and turned off all electronics in his room, shutting down the whole House as well. The only things that remained were night-vision goggles—a necessity—and a flashlight/pocket knife on each boy. The three had already destroyed the hard drives of their computers earlier that day, around sundown. It was important, essential, but it was still painful. For some reason, A could barely stomach it and handed off his computer to BB._

_Something was definitely wrong._

"_One last question," A whispered right before they exited their room. Both pairs of large eyes turned to the other. "What do you think will happen if Watari discovers what we're doing?"_

_A pause before BB answered, "We'll be killed."_

_The small boy gulped and grabbed BB hand. Together, they led the way out of L's room. The hallway was full of commotion; people were everywhere, some screaming about their computer crashing, or the power being out, while others were sneaking around, stealing or trying to solve the mystery._

_Through careful planning, L and BB agreed that it was best to act as they would in this situation instead of sneaking around all the others. They were in a building full of trained assassins—to act suspicious was the stupidest thing to do._

_A kept up his act quite well, keeping his hand intertwined with BB's panic bright in his eyes as they rushed around the building, in search of the front entrance. It was the safest option—if they left through a back exit, a side, or especially a hidden one…they were done for. BB trailed behind, eyes carefree. He looked like he was having fun watching those around him suffer._

_And L was calm, watching everything in cold calculation. Something was off. The amount of people running about was greatly differed from what he had predicted. There weren't enough. But he had studied every student, teacher, and employee of Wammy's House. He, BB, and A all studied each person carefully to make sure which ones would be where, how they were react, when the power was cut out completely._

_The best were missing. The teachers and those older than the three fifteen-year-olds, the ones who weren't students anymore…they were all missing from the plan. What was going on? The two black-haired boys prepared for the worst as their swift footsteps led them outside the walls of Wammy's for the first time without a mission to complete._

_Fresh air attacked their noses, but all victory was put on hold._

_Barely five steps away from the stairs leading up to the large metal doors of Wammy's, and they were surrounded. L spared a glimpse at where A should have been. He was on the ground, bawling. No! What was he doing? He can't cry! That was against everything they'd ever learned!_

"_What are you doing, A? Stand up and fight!" BB hissed at the boy still holding his hand. "This is what you want, right? To be free? To have the pleasure and fun of the outside world? I can't give that to you here! Come on!" He was starting to plead with his friend, trying to get him to stand. But A wouldn't budge._

_The assassins around them were slowly closing in. They had mere seconds to escape unscathed. L tried his luck with his friend. "A, if you can't stand leaving, fine. But please, don't torture BB and me by forcing us to stay here! In fact, it will literally kill us if we stay." His last words were true; they were about to be killed by their colleagues._

_A looked up and mouthed the words "I'm sorry" to L before standing slowly. He quickly grabbed hold of BB and pulled him close. L couldn't hear what words were whispered in his copy's ear, and BB never told him, but whatever A had said, it had caused BB's expression to become shocked. Tears began to well up in his face, much to his chagrin._

_With a final look at his friends, A turned around and ran straight towards the crowd, pocketknife in hand, knife already whipped out._

_Without a second thought, L and BB ran for their lives, through the ever-enclosing crowd of killers. Everyone had been partially distracted by A's performance. The other two members of LABB were able to escape only because of their best friend's sacrifice._

Unshed tears began to form in L's eyes. He refused to let them fall, and instead fell back on his bed, stretched out like a starfish. A tired sigh escaped him and he once again renewed his vow, as he did every year on this day for the past eight years.

"I will save Raito Yagami—Light—no matter what cost."

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**Author's Note: Me luv L's character. Haha, how'd you like new MattxMelloxHalle love triangle? I don't know if it's been done before or not. All I know is that I was looking forward to really introducing this love triangle since Halle was first mentioned flirting w/ Mello. Didn't realize, however, that this was how it would be shown first.**

**And Mikami coming in was so weird to write. Told you it would surprise you! The only options I had besides instructor at Wammy's ((which I came up w/ on the spot for this chapter)) were another ****Team of assassins and a group of people - or individuals - who needed to be killed by the Mid-Knights. I didn't feel like doing either, and this fits them much better. Also, all three crush on Light...^_- **

**Also, so you sorta understand what each person's role is in each group mentioned so far: ((there are tech four roles 'cause of the four Mid-Knights, but all other groups sorta share roles. Whoever is ****put w/ a "/" means that the first name is more that role, but the second also is sorta that role. The strategist role is really shared by everyone, but w/ Near, it's his main job.))**  
**Techy = Matt, Linda/Halle, A/L**  
**Strategist = Near, Naomi/Halle/Linda, L/A**  
**Infiltration Specialist = Mello, Halle/Naomi, BB/L**  
**Killer = Light, Naomi, BB**  
**Leader = Light, N/A, L**  
**I hope you can understand that. And yes, there is only ever one killer in the group. N/A means that the girls' group doesn't have a specific leader. It's mainly 'cause I couldn't decide. And also, feels ****more like how they live. ^_-**

**L's part was a very hard decision. I had to choose between furthering his plot, or giving you guys a flashback. I realized that since Light's chapter was from the same day, L's should be as well, ****taking place right afterwards. You wouldn't be getting his past anyway, if I didn't write the flashback here. I hope you enjoyed it. Can you understand what was going on, adding in Watari's words ****as well? If you can't, here's a quick explaination: Watari used some sort of horrible methods to get A to confess to their plan ((which I made up on the spot)). A didn't want his friends to get caught, ****to die. He ended up sacrificing himself in a vain attempt to help them all escape. He died, but BB and L did manage to get free...somehow. *sigh* It's really sad...**

**Questions, comments? REVIEW! THE BUTTON IS A MAGIC BUTTON THAT ACTUALLY IS A DIRECT LINK TO MY MIND'S STOMACH! IT FEEDS MY INSPIRATION! And trust me, I'm quite hungry.**


	7. Let the Games Begin

**Author's Note: I know other stories were meant to be updated next, but if I get inspiration for DM, I need to use it up before it goes bye bye. ^-^ And man did I use that inspiration! This is over 3,000 words! Second chapter for a story in two days that's that long. I guess I really did miss writing last week...**

**So, this chapter really speeds things along. You finally get a look at their missions! Yep, the one we've all been waiting for...the one L knows about. I had to figure out how Mikami was ****gonna punish the guys, it was fun...except for the outcome w/ the mission plans. But coming up w/ all their technology was a riot! It was really fun, trust me!**

**L's part, be warned, starts before Light's part ends, and ends a little bit before Light's part. That's just the way it goes. I guess I just wished to warn you. Next chapter will prob pick off where Light's part ends w/ both POV's.**

**Warning: Character death. And a very pissed Light. XP**

**Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own Death Note. I, happily, do own Death Machine. And pretty much all the gadgets they use...((Yep, I came up w/ all of them, but I can't say that I didn't ****get inspiration from other places.)) Also, again, I enjoy making cracks at Death Note. ^_-**

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Chapter 7

_**Light**_

Only a few days had passed since the fight in my room, but they seemed like a lifetime. Mikami-sensei, because of his strict no-bullying ways, tried to punish me the best he could. Once he got the full story—of what we could tell him without getting into the raw emotions that should've been gone by now—Halle and Matt got the brunt of the punishment.

The three of us were what is equivalent to us as "grounded." Matt, without his technology, Halle, without her excessive girl-hygiene privileges, and me, without my sanity, all locked in our separate rooms. I was allowed contact with others through my computer, but that's only because I wasn't completely at fault…and Mikami-sensei liked me.

When I said "like" I mean he was one of three teachers who positively adored me and practically loved me. He, Takada-sensei, and Amane-sensei. The latter was the worst of them because she was trained to use her body as a weapon in the worst of ways—seduction.

Not that I can really say anything—my teachers have taught me similar styles, but only to charm others _out of_ my way, not _all the_ way. If she wasn't an assassin, she'd be a slut out on the streets, doing whatever a handsome young man would tell her to do, even kill innocent people.

But I daren't speak ill about my superiors, not that they shall be superior for long. My team will soon surpass even the very teachers who trained us.

As soon as I was let out of my room.

In the meantime, I was planning with Near and Mello, both of whom had their laptops to communicate with. We figured out how long it would take until Matt was out of his confinement and realized that that would be too long; Watari would get upset. And we also wouldn't know if Higuchi would be in the same place by then.

We needed to act as quickly as possible. So, we decided that as soon as I was free, we would strike. Near always hung back with Matt, making sure we were doing everything correctly, so he knew a bit more than Mello and I about security camera hacking. And, if we could pull this off, perhaps Matt would be allowed out of our Team.

I would like that so very much…

It only took a week until I could get out of my room so we could leave. That morning, without Matt, we set out. The only setback was the lack of Matt's supercomputer. We still had our advanced ones, so Near had his in his backpack. My backpack was full of weapons and escape supplies. Mello's had his usual knock-out and breaking-and-entering gadgets.

We walked to the front door or Wammy's House, handed the doorman our passes, which he plugged into the exit machine, and left. Apparently, ever since Team LABB escaped, all doors' security was bumped up. It made sense.

Once outside, we circled the building until we got to the garage. From there, we each entered using the fingerprint scanner, eye scanners, blood-prick scanners, and a few others, all programmed to only let those who had missions scheduled for that day to enter and leave again.

We grabbed our motorbikes and hopped on, starting them up and heading straight for the blank wall on one side. It was a special material and machine that let us through, like a curtain, but only from the side we exited from. That way, instead of a door that someone could easily sneak through when opened, only we could get out with the correct code from our bikes.

Again, all this was rumored to be put in once L and BB escaped.

There were more than just motorbikes we could use, but it all depended on what mission we were going on, to where. We could also use cars or many shapes and sizes, trucks, even manual bikes…There were a few helicopters as well. But what we needed to use wasn't in the garage. It was at another—disclosed—location. The easiest way to get there was by bike.

About half an hour later, we arrived at the runway. There were eight planes lying in wait. That means that two other teams were out using the others. Most planes were small, five people maximum, and that's if you squeezed. There were two meant for one person—two if one sat in the other's lap—and one disguised as a commercial airliner. It could fit many people, but was rarely used, except by Watari when he wished to be comfortable on a flight.

There was also a dock nearby, where different types of boats lay in wait. Again, most were quite small, speedboats and the like. There was also a yacht, again, usually just for Watari.

What we needed was a plane. Japan was pretty far away from England, don't you think?

Near and I parked our bikes in the garage just as similar as the one at home, only slightly smaller. Mello kept his and brought it aboard the jet with us. He and I would be sharing it once we landed, Near staying on the plane with all its technology and equipment.

Because of the special design of the jet—beefed up with the knowledge of more than one techy like Matt…and Matt himself, believe it or not—we only needed a few hours to get from Europe to Japan to get Higuchi. All this could be done in one night there, letting us getting home in time to sleep at a regular hour—keep in mind the time difference.

About five hours later, Mello landed the plane—Near was the copilot, Mello head pilot. Usually, it was Matt and Mello, but Near was our backup for Mello, who was copilot for Matt.

We landed on a barren strip at an airport we had already hacked into the schedules of to see where each plane lands when. This runway was perfect for us to use for the next few hours.

Near climbed into the back, where I had been using the computers to set everything up for our departure, memorizing which roads we needed to take to get to the building Higuchi called home. Judging by his schedule we had created, he would be home by now, seeing as it was not a Friday, nor a weekend—he sometimes went out drinking on those nights.

Mello followed and went straight to his decked-out bike—he liked using it more than any of the other vehicles. He carried it out of the plane and I followed, giving Near a farewell wave before climbing behind Mello and heading off.

We both pressed buttons on our special metal collars and helmets formed around our heads, complete with headsets so we could communicate with each other and Near. The collars also monitored our bodies' vital functions, including heart rate. They were made so that, while Near could know what was going on to us, he couldn't track us; nobody could. That way, we were still invisible. They could become any kind of helmet we needed, including ones for outer space, though nobody had yet required that special function.

I told Mello the directions to the building and Mello followed them with ease. It wasn't far from the airport, luckily.

"Alright, Mello, this is it," I stated. We couldn't get into the garage without a code, but Near was already on it. A few minutes later…the door still wasn't open.

Mello was getting anxious. We needed to hurry and he needed to hide his bike. "Near, what's going on?" he fumed. I knew it would take a little longer because Matt wasn't with us, but I was starting to get a little annoyed too.

"Near," I started, "we're going to camouflage the bike. You don't need to try anymore.

"Yes, Light," he replied, without even an apology.

The camouflage feature was quite useful, but took a lot of gas and energy. It drained the bike quickly. That meant that we now had a time limit on our mission…Just great.

Mello got us in through one of the other entrances, going before me so he could take care of anyone in our way. The signal for me to continue also relied on the collar, another button. Finally, we made our way to Higuchi's room. Mello picked the special lock and I was given entrance. He would stand guard outside, but I would signal him if there was somebody here I wasn't supposed to kill.

I snuck inside, muttering, "Near, do the cameras reveal anything of importance?" He answered negative, but with hesitation. "What's wrong?" I questioned, a little suspicious.

He answered with something I never thought I would hear from him, "Do you remember how many cameras are in the suite, and where each is?"

I blanched. Near needed reminding of something? That means that something is off. "Where is Higuchi?" I asked.

"He…could be in his bedroom." What? What did he mean by that?

Instead of questioning further, I remembered the lack of time we had because of Mello's bike and quickly followed the path I had memorized earlier through the suite to Higuchi's bedroom. If Near didn't know if the man was in his bedroom, but also knew he wasn't anywhere else in the place, that meant that the camera in his bedroom wasn't just cut off, but gone completely, as if it never existed.

Once inside the dark room, I used night-vision goggles to see where the camera was—or supposed to be. I zoomed in using the goggles and discovered a small chip placed on the extremely small spy-camera. Someone had been here before us. Not good. I sent the image to Near and he muttered something, almost in anger.

"Do you want me to get that chip after I'm done with him?" I asked. "We could give it to Matt to look at, or even Watari himself."

"No, not Watari. Think about what he'll do to us for not knowing beforehand. But it might spark a bit of interest for Matt once he's out of confinement." Seemed like a very logical answer. I made a mental note to somehow get the chip without breaking it once I was done with my real mission.

There, I saw him, lying on his bed. He was sleeping like the dead.

Well, this was going to be too easy. I decided for a clean kill. I never understood why some people did it bloody on purpose. Supposedly, there was somebody on the black market selling a knock-off of a drug that killed a person making it look completely natural—so natural, in fact that nobody could figure out it was a drug that did it. I wish I had the actual drug, not the knock-off. The one being sold was extremely expensive but didn't have the same camouflage in a person's body as the original. But the original was also impossible to get; the inventor would never sell it and kept it quite safe, whoever he was.

Either way, I wasn't getting either.

I fished around in my extremely organized backpack—couldn't have it any other way, so it's easier to find things, obviously—for one of my favorite poisons. It only worked when a person was in the N-REM state of sleep, which definitely seemed like what Higuchi was in. Once I found it and put it in its shot just for this, I prepared to give him the needle—alcohol swab and everything on the crook of his arm.

I tried to find his vein…and had to double check. Something was wrong with his vein. There were no track marks; he didn't have any collapsed veins. Something else was wrong.

Grabbing his wrist, I checked his pulse…or lack-there-of. What? Did he seriously die in his sleep? Just to make sure, I slapped his face just for the heck of it. Nothing, he was gone. This was definitely his last sleep, but not by my means.

Mello came running in as soon as I voiced my predicament. "How can he already be dead? We checked his health records, there's no reason for him to die!" he voiced. It was true; there was no reason that he should be dead before I came here.

We checked both his arms; no track marks at all. He wasn't drugged using a needle. Still, we took a sample of his blood—going from his armpit, and using one of the smallest needles possible, so nobody would be able to know.

A lab back at Wammy's would analyze it for us to see what happened, if anything could be determined by the blood at all.

I ordered Mello to get the chip on the camera in the room. While he was following my orders, I stared at Higuchi's corpse. Don't get me wrong; I was glad he was dead. The only problem was that I wasn't the one who killed him. How was I supposed to file a report if it had to be filled with lies to cover up our mistakes?

Well, I was always one for lying beautifully anyway. A few more wouldn't hurt.

I sudden spark surfaced in my brain. We were being watched before, weren't we? Was it another team of spies? Was Watari truly testing us? What really was going on? Could this be the same person who had hacked Matt's computer? I had already searched for fingerprints on the dead man—none. There was no evidence that anyone was here, just as there wouldn't be any from the two of us once we left.

Perhaps that chip Mello was still trying to detach stopped others from using the camera, but not the person who placed it there. I turned towards the camera and glowered. Let them know how pissed I was. This was _my_ kill!

I went over to the bed and stared at the slack face. He looked both asleep and dead. It had to have been a drug. He couldn't get a heart attack in his sleep without some look of pain or a struggle evident in his features and body.

That's when I noticed it, something different about his bed. There was something under his pillow, a white slip of paper.

I pulled it out, thinking it might have something to do with our situation. My eyes widened as I read the words on the simple, lined piece of paper, ripped from a larger sheet.

_**L**_

L knew they had extremely good jets. He had used them countless times. So, he had to use a commercial airline a day before they would appear, just to get there in time, and be gone before they arrived.

The detective snuck into the room, just as he had so many times years ago. This was nothing new, except that he didn't have BB by his side, or A over a headset. He used the window to get in, instead of trying to sneak through the whole building undetected. And, besides, the locks on windows, especially this high up, weren't as good as those on doors.

He knew the exact time Light would be getting there, little over an hour later, according to his computer—which he had to hack into once he realized Matt's was out of commission for the time being.

Was that because the boy knew that he had hacked into it? Did he get a completely new computer? But, no, he couldn't have. He, Matt, was out of commission, not just his computer. Something must have happened. He wasn't in any of the plans Light had designed for their current mission.

Light's computer was a lot easier. He had already been inside it several times, which is how he tracked them on their missions. Matt's was still better, because of the ample amount of information on it. But he didn't wish to risk going in there too many more times. And it didn't really help, anyway, at the moment.

The window he snuck through led right into the bedroom. There, lying on the bed, was Higuchi, sound asleep. He slept like the dead.

L snuck over and pulled the vial out of his backpack. He only brought a little bit with, knowing exactly how much was needed for this kill. He didn't hesitate before tipping the vial over Higuchi's mouth and pouring the Death Note inside.

There was visual reaction, no eye movement, no flinch, no shiver at all. But L kept his fingers pressed over the pulse in the man's neck and wrist—the neck once he finished pouring in the drug. Almost instantly, only a few seconds' delay, and the heartbeat shuddered before stopping. He was done, gone, dead.

L didn't mind killing the man. He knew what Higuchi had done and hated him for that. Sure, the justice system could've caught him eventually, but he didn't want to risk it. Also, he would've died that night anyway. This way, he could have more fun with Light.

Next, L took a small chip he and BB had created together years ago—they had made a few, and L had recently made much more, capable of even more, if needed. He had saved the ones that they had created before, sneaking them when they left, knowing BB would kill him if he knew what he had done. They were supposed to leave everything behind besides those pocketknives they had improved.

He sighed and climbed up to the camera he knew was in the room. Attaching himself to the ceiling using yet another gadget he had to recreate—he had a knack for remembering how things were made once he took them apart back at Wammy's House. From his position, he was able to attach the chip to the camera and then gracefully fall to the ground.

The chip would erase all that the camera had already recorded, also deleting the camera from existence except to L's computer, which was hooked up to the chip. He would be able to watch through the camera like he had hacked into it.

Now, the last thing he had to do before he left.

He slipped out a notebook from his backpack, along with a pen, and wrote a short note on the lined paper he was sure Light would find, placing it right beneath the dead man's pillow, a corner sticking out. There, the teen would not miss it. He would discard the pen outside later, as it was a cheap, commercial pen able to be found internationally; and the notebook was a commercial brand, untraceable as to who could have bought it, the paper was almost identical to several other brands. Also, his handwriting was quite generic, and something that was on no legal documents, seeing as everything he did was in a false identity, and thus a false signature and handwriting.

He then snuck back out of the room, leaving behind no clues, but the start of a little game.

_Wish Higuchi goodnight, Light-kun. And welcome to a little game I'd like to call Death Note, you horrid death machine._

**Author's Note: I hope you've enjoyed this installment of Death Machine. You better - this chapter was over 3,000 words! A miracle for this story...but only 'cause I wanted to get to the ****note in Light's part...Finally, the Death Note was put to use. Finally, Light goes on an actual mission. And finally, a real "Death Note" was left behind. Yep, that was my plan from the start ****once I came up w/ the drug. ^_- Did you like L's use of the title? Came up with that on the spot!**

**Also, if there's a continuity error w/ Light not knowing he's in England at Wammy's house then...whoops. Or...I don't know how L cannot know that Wammy's House was where it was ****but...Maybe it's a special brain-washing thing where as long as you come back, you know where to go or something. Let's go w/ a special chip in the brain! Alright, now the continuity ****error is solved. Let's move on. XP**

**Oh, just saying, thanx to my story Imperfection, I know the time difference between England and Japan as well as how long it takes to get there - eighteen hours by fast jet. So...now ****you know how AMAZING the tech these guys have is. Oh, and sorry if I got the terms for copilot and whatnot wrong...**


	8. Added Complications

**Author's Note: What to do when you have inspiration to write a chapter, but don't have any plan? You wing it, get a cool idea, realize something important, and go w/ it. You get some ****more characters thrown at you! Haha! One literally...And you also get a new subplot you weren't planning for.**

**Warning: Well, what can I say? Character death, sorta. But you already knew that. Not too much to warn about this chapter...except that it's 1,000 words shorter than last chapter, but ****is just as awesome...maybe.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. I don't own the characters in Death Note, including new ones that show up this chapter. I do own the idea behind this story. I do own the design ****behind some characters that show up in this chapter. *wink wink***

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Chapter 8

_**Light**_

_Wish Higuchi goodnight, Light-kun. And welcome to a little game I'd like to call Death Note, you horrid death machine._

I stared at the note in shock. Anger flashed through me. Death machine, indeed! And wait, Death Note? That was the name of that original drug, the one that…killed just as it looked Higuchi died…How did whoever this person was get their hands on the Death Note?

"Light, what is it?" Mello asked, hopping down from the camera. He had a small baggie he was putting in his backpack when I turned around to face him.

Quickly deciding that this was my secret little "game" as this writer called it, I hid the note behind me. "I think I figured out how Higuchi died. Do you remember that drug that Near found, the knock-off of an original drug that could kill someone by shutting down vital organs, but making it look somehow like a heart attack?"

"Yeah, apparently it triggers a heart attack, too, that knock-off. Why?" Mello answered.

"Well, I believe that someone must've used the knock-off. It can be the only way to kill him without alerting anyone or even _me_ noticing until too late." What he said was true; the knock-off triggered a heart attack. The real didn't.

Near added through our earpieces, "Yes, I did a paper on that knock-off drug. It's called Shinigami, God of Death. Through extensive research, I narrowed down the makers of it, but Watari has yet to approve either our use of the drug or our elimination of the makers. Nevertheless, the real drug it is modeled after is even less traceable in an autopsy, and doesn't even trigger a heart attack, but makes it look like the one who took it had one." Damn you, Near, and your facts. I didn't want that last part known.

"Light, I would love to question you further on your hypothesis, but it is best if the two of you get out of there," Near warned.

I agreed and Mello and I left the way we came, Mello still in the lead, just in case.

Once back on the plane, because of the roar of the engines, we couldn't communicate very well. I, instead, wrote up a false report on our success on our mission. We waited until back home, bikes back where they belonged, doorman handing us back our passes, which we had to quickly file and bring back to the main office with my report, before we talked.

We were back in my room, the main one we used for our missions. I was tired and wished to sleep, but knew that this couldn't wait. We needed to start speculating now.

"Near, give me your paper on the knock-off drug. Shinigami, was it?" I ordered. He nodded and quickly printed out a copy of his report. I knew that much of the things in there weren't needed, but I needed to throw off my team.

We all read through it and tried to piece together some part of the puzzle.

"Man, the drug is expensive. We now know that whoever is following us—'cause it has to be the same person—has unlimited funds," Mello supplied. We agreed.

"You think that a group of people in Japan are making the drug?" I questioned. The paper stated that through the research Near had conducted, he knew of several possible choices for the drug. It didn't have to be a group of people, but that is something that could throw one off.

"Yes and no. It would be much easier to mass-produce, and thus sell on the black market if there was a group. However, it is such an undercover operation, that it seems unwise to let too many people into the trade. That is why of the three or four I narrowed it down to, only one strikes me as _the one_ to really be in charge of making it." He pointed to the picture of a gothic-looking man. He had spiked blue-black hair, pale skin, and black eyeliner and dark blue lipstick on. He had yellow-tinted sunglasses and a dangling heart earring. Underneath the picture was the name Ryuk.

"I have very little profile of him, but from what I've uncovered already, he enjoys watching others suffer. He'd rather not be doing the killing, either. Thus, underlings should be needed to make the drug. Rem," he pointed to a woman with greasy white and purple hair, which covered a bandaged eye. Her skin was also pale, but she had on a lot of purple make-up, including lipstick and blush.

"Sidoh," Near said while pointing to yet another picture. This one had a man with a bad comb over and a bizarre lipless grin. He had tattoos on his face that looked like bandages. His eyes reminded me of a bug. "And this one I'm not completely sure on, but his name is Gelus. Also, there's evidence of his recent death. I did this paper over a year ago, so I don't know if that has been confirmed or denied." The last of the bunch looked even worse than Sidoh. He had cuts and bruises, scars and stitches—some of which looked like tattoos, though. His mouth was in a permanent frown, his eyes watery. He was almost bald except for a few hairs.

I felt sorry for all of them; they were obviously druggies of some sort. Rem and Ryuk especially, what with their sunken cheeks and dead looks. Still, did I need to worry about them? They might provide another mission, and perhaps the person behind this "Death Note" was trying to lead me off his trail by saying he's using the real stuff instead of the knock-off. Hmm…No, I just couldn't believe that.

"Near, even if this isn't a mission, your job now is to research these guys as much as possible. Once Matt is out of confinement, he'll be working with you while also analyzing that chip we found. Confirm Gelus's death, figure out if they are really behind the Shinigami, and also see if you can find out to whom they sell. That is the most important, the most crucial."

"Got it," Near replied, nodding. He was quite obedient when need be. He left the room, laptop and report in tow, off to his own room. He was a partial insomniac and would probably be up for most of the night.

I turned to Mello. What should he do? The report for our mission was done, he was as exhausted as I was, but also needed something to do so he didn't feel inadequate compared to Near. I couldn't confide in him my actual find.

"Would it be alright if I got more info on the original drug? Near mentioned it was called…Death Note? It's a bizarre name, but I bet I could figure out who originally made it. There's a chance he's from or in Japan, because the knock-off is being made there. This, I know, has to be made by one person, crazed with death." He laughed. "After all, who would want to work on such a drug and not sell it?"

I thought for a moment before realizing that this was perfect. All my research would be done for me, and I was left to think about the literal Death Note and the person following us. "Alright, Mello. But make sure you keep this all on the down low. I don't want anyone finding out about our research."

"Got it, Boss." Mello left the room, too.

I sighed in relief. Time to think about the writer of that note.

He hadn't signed it, but seemed to know all about me. He knew what I looked like, at least. I took out the note again, ready to analyze every word. Plopping down on my bed, head reeling too much to even think about sleep, I began to reread.

_Wish Higuchi goodnight…_ That obviously refers to the fact that the guy died in his sleep. But I also must remember that whoever killed him knew what we were doing, where we were going, and when. After all, Higuchi wasn't that cold when I got to him, letting him fool me a little longer than necessary.

_Light-kun_. I think that's the part that got me most. The person, the spy, must know exactly what I look like, or know my origin. I'm not an idiot. Most people at Wammy's knew where they were from, even though we're trained to forget anything about our homes. I obviously look Japanese, and thus have adopted some language from the culture, including honorifics. Nevertheless, the use of "kun" means one of two things: Either the person, most likely man, is older than I am and looks down on me, or he wishes to point out that we are familiar with each other. I'm going with the former.

_And welcome to a little game I'd like to call Death Note…_He knows I always enjoy myself a little game. He knows I'm competitive and always have to win. Thus, by bringing in this "game" he knows that I will definitely want to play as well. In fact, he's counting on it. Well, I'm in.

_Death Note_. The drug's name. It has to be. He had to have used the drug. Therefore, he's flaunting something…but what? With Mello's research, I might be able to figure it out. And he _is_ leaving me "death notes" so to speak.

_You horrid death machine._ That catches me. I can figure out most of the clues in the rest of the note, but not that. He knows I'm an assassin, and can kill in just about any way under the sun—besides the Death Note or Shinigami drugs. I'm not a horrid person, though. So he must have a distaste for…Wammy's House.

He got into Matt's computer before, meaning he must've already hacked into mine. Only a true Wammy's person could hack all the way into Matt's computer.

But we all know here that what we do is for a better world, a new world. So Watari couldn't have set whoever this is on us, unless he's purposely giving that clue.

And thus, I'm back to the beginning. Now, I really was tired. My clock read a time too late to be up and still get beauty sleep. I sighed and lied down, note safely hidden in a compartment on the underside of my pillow—oh, the irony. It would be a good idea to check it for poison or bugs in the morning. I should have done that earlier, but I was too caught up in the words. Was I losing my touch?

No, but the writer must know how to really capture me…

_**L**_

Light stood there, frozen, right in the middle of L's screen. He couldn't see all of the room, some of it being obscured by the light-haired boy in front of the camera. He was trying to take it down, as per Light's orders. It had to be Mello, the only other one who ever went with Light on the missions. He'd spied on them enough to know that.

L had to hold back a laugh at the glower Light had sent him before. "This was _his_ kill" was the obvious message.

But now, Light held the "Death Note" in hand, the note L had left. What would Light do? L had to wonder.

The noises coming from around the camera were getting dangerous. L knew that he would soon lose his picture, the chip coming off in Mello's hands. It wasn't permanent. But he also knew that it could not be traced back to himself or BB. It was impossible.

And just like that, a whispered "Gotcha!" and the picture shorted out. The camera on the other end was still thoroughly out of commission, but L couldn't use it anymore either now.

L sighed and leaned back in his seat. He couldn't wait to get back to England and be able to keep a closer eye on Light. For now, he'd sleep…for once.

Using his spying abilities after so many years when they lay dormant took a lot of energy and work. L had to regain many abilities once he started physically spying on the Mid-Knights' missions. But today, he had to use some that he hadn't so far, not since a decade ago.

His game was set, finally. Light would no doubt wish to play. How he would retaliate was up to the boy, but for now, L would leave another note at the next kill. He hoped it didn't require such a cross-continental flight as this one.

Before going to the bedroom, L closed out of most of his programs. After a moment's hesitation, he checked his various emails. Most were empty or full of useless mail he didn't care about at the moment. Only two separate emails, sent to two different addresses under different identities, from two unconnected people sparked his interest.

The messages he got from the Yagamis were always intriguing. This was sent earlier that night. Soichiro wished for an update. "Ah…" L breathed. He forgot that he hadn't updated the parents of the boy he was tracking so easily in several months. The wait was longer than he usually let it go. But there was just so much more progress now!

What could he share? He replied saying that he thought he knew where Raito—or at least his kidnappers, as it had been eight years—were hiding out. He never told the Yagamis exactly what Raito had become, though it would only have been fair. He also said that he might have found a way to communicate with Raito, if he was indeed there. Still, police force or any interference wouldn't be necessary yet; he'd yet to confirm anything.

They would get a kick out of that. Actual communication!

Now…the other email…What a rare occurrence. L thought that he'd seen the last of BB once he got the instructions for the Death Note.

_L, _it read. _I'm in need of your assistance. You know of that Shinigami drug I helped those guys with—lousy bunch of good-for-nothing thieves. They've taken the business a little too far and I have an odd hunch that they might be in danger. You always told me to trust my hunches, so I'm telling you that they're going to be caught. I need you to make sure that they're not killed by __him__. Then __he__ might trace it back to me. Also, may I stay with you for a while? Most of my hideouts have been confiscated and I have been getting flashbacks lately. BB_

L sighed. This was not good. He knew Light was intelligent, but he didn't expect him to go as far as the Shinigami drug makers themselves. And now he had BB to take care of? L decided to wait till morning to reply to that one and went off to bed.

Let _all_ the games…begin.

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**Author's Note: Yikes, I didn't mean to do that! Shit...Well, I thought to add something L's part, he got the emails. BB's was...an accident. I liked where it was going and thought to add a ****nice little subplot. The story's gonna be pretty long now 'cause I added in the Shinigami drug...and BB. I debated if I should leave it up to you guys to choose to keep it but realized that I needed the Shinigami to move Light's part along. ^_- However, now the climax might be changed a bit...*sigh* I'll try to keep it similar to what I had in mind, but some parts might be different...*grr***

**Dammit, creating those Shinigami were fun! I used the main four named ones, trying to keep them realistic to humans ((which they are here!)), but also to themselves. Ryuk and Rem are ****obviously very similar to themselves, but Sidoh and Gelus I had to take a bit of liberty w/ since they're the least human-like. Hello, Sidoh's bug-like! Hehe, I tried to recreate the affect of ****the bandages w/ a combover. IDK if they're gonna ever appear, but there might be a drug heist or something like that. After all, Watari hasn't decided yet...^_- But BB has! And Light, ****apparently!**

**So, a new subplot that might be a very big plot, though not the main one of L vs. Light. BB might be coming for a visit. Next chappie should skip a bit of time, and Matt should be out of his confiment. I want the girls team to make another appearance soon, too, but IDK how that's gonna go down.**

**Side note ((haha)): I paused right after Light saying "a new world" and the word count was 13,313. Thought it was creepy and BB-worthy. XD Anyways, review, please!**


	9. Two Explanations of One Man

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Author's Note: I actually got inspiration for this from reading another fanfic in which Light kills Misa expertly, even though he's just in high school. It got me in the mood for killing, and thus, this fic. ^_- Light's part came rather easily, seeing as it's mostly just me making up stuff as I went along as to the *cough* creator of the Death Note...drug. I added in a laugh line or two in there just to mess w/ your heads. L's part, however, I made up while I was in the shower. Yes, I'm weird.

**Warning: Hmm...BB.**

**Disclaimer: I own this story concept, but all references to Death Note ((aka the whole story)) is not mine. ^-^**

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Chapter 9

_**Light**_

"And this was on the camera in Higuchi's bedroom?" Matt asked for the third time. The three of us just gave him "duh" looks and he got the idea. "Alright, I just want to make sure I have all the facts down before taking it apart." He put up his hands in surrender.

It was about a week after our last mission and Matt was finally out of confinement. We were all in my room, discussing the mission Matt had missed out on. He was pretty pissed that we went on the mission without him, and that Near had tried and failed to do some light hacking. He also was annoyed that Near hadn't checked all the cameras in the suite Higuchi was in before we entered. After his rant on the importance of his job and techno-savvy skills, he'd calmed down enough to let us explain his job now.

Matt grabbed the bag and stood, stretching. "I'll be off to my room then. I'm gonna hook this up to one of my spare computers to see if I can get any readings or data off it before taking it apart to see how it could even do as you described…" He started walking towards the door before turning back and grinning sheepishly. "And Boss?" he asked.

"Yeah, what?" I questioned, still flustered from everything going on around me.

"Am I allowed to make replicas of this to use on our missions? What you described it did sounds really awesome, and could actually help with certain jobs, I bet!" He seemed excited, but I knew that it would be too dangerous if too many of these started appearing. What we needed was a way to counteract the chips before they were attached to the cameras we used.

I sighed and breathed, "No, Matt. I already told you exactly what your assignment is…Near go with him to make sure he's not fiddling around with it for the wrong reasons." My gaze was dull and my mouth lazy, but I was tired, annoyed, and really wishing I were somewhere else.

Near nodded and followed Matt out of my room. Mello was the only one left.

Already, Near had given the information he'd found out. Gelus really had died a year ago, his own drug found in his body—meaning that autopsies could detect the Shinigami, though I know that the Death Note shouldn't do that. He couldn't find the motive yet, but he thought there was a probability it had something to do with the original creator of the Death Note.

Mello had done his fair share of research, only to come up quite empty handed.

"It's as if he doesn't exist!" he'd cried when explaining his lack of information.

I turned to him now to get anything else out of him. "Are you sure there was no info you could find on the Death Note? You can use less-than-proper methods for getting the info you know…" I tried.

He actually breathed a sigh of relief. "Good," he said. Oh, the bastard! "I didn't want Near to hear how I got my info. See, I've got a few connections to the Mafia around the world and…well…There's more than just a wind that he's in Japan, whoever this creator is."

I knew those bike parts weren't legally acquired! How could I not have known about Mello's rendezvous with Mafia people? I stopped wondering about it and gazed on at him, telling him in my expression to continue.

"Okay, so, for some reason, nobody can track down the whereabouts of the creator, but apparently, he…_acquires_ all these buildings, warehouses, and even houses throughout wherever he's staying. Once most of his hideouts are found, confiscated, and the like, he books it outta there. Obviously, I suspected he'd be in Japan, and I was correct. A bunch of his places were discovered recently, all abandoned except for some blood and jam stains on the walls and floors…and ceilings…"

I shuddered at the thought. That was disgusting. But was quite interesting that he left without a trace, but they couldn't track him down even with those bizarre clues.

Mello continued, "So, enough places have been discovered that my connections said that the pattern will be starting anew soon, somewhere else. Might still be in Japan, just somewhere far away, might be in another country altogether."

"Meaning we're back to square one," I put in simplest terms.

"Yeah, pretty much." Mello shrugged. We sat for a moment, me mostly brooding, but Mello looking like he was trying to remember something. "Oh!" he finally exclaimed.

"What?" I asked wearily. I really wasn't in the mood for this.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before saying, "I've done some research using the info my connections gave me. They know of a few places that the creator was before leaving and I looked up those places. Apparently, the police reports show that the abandoned warehouses and stuff, once they thought they had found all of them, usually added to twelve to fourteen places. The average was thirteen. Also, there's usually a heightened crime and murder rate wherever he goes, until he leaves. So, we can easily track him around the world from his past dwellings."

Why wouldn't he just shut up? I needed to get to the lab to get the Higuchi blood analysis back. And I was tired.

"I've already started that part of my research. To the best of my knowledge, the heightened crime and murder rate, plus the thirteen places confiscated before the crime and murder rates lowering again started about eight years ago in Greece. Since then, he's been making his way east, to Japan."

I perked up at that information. Now _that_ was helpful.

"Still, I have a feeling he had to have started farther west, and therefore prior to eight years ago. That's as far as my research has gotten me, and archives are harder to come by from a decade ago, but I'm sure he had to have started in Western Europe or even the United States. Still, it makes more sense to start from Europe because starting in the States means he could have easily travelled west and then straight to Japan. For some reason, I have a feeling Japan was his last destination, because that's where the Shinigami began."

I nodded my head in understanding, a smile blossoming on my face. "Is that all? Keep working. But I'm going to be getting another assignment was Watari later today, so we might not have as much time to research. Remember, nobody can know about this."

He left the room, eager to prove that he had more research done than Near.

The only reason he had more done than Near was because Near's investigation was less broad. He had specific things to try to find and less connections than Mello—none, to be exact. Mello also had figured out a pattern rather quickly, using those _beyond illegal_ connections, while Near was using more conventional sources.

Still, we were finally getting somewhere, and Mello's research was the most important to me anyway.

_**L**_

L stood in the small living room of the apartment he was renting. He had gotten it a few days ago, because he knew that a hotel would be no place for BB. And he was right.

"Nice place you got here…" His old teammate was standing in the entrance to the small dining room. All it was was a medium-sized table with four chairs and plenty of space for work, or food—if they ever needed an actual table for their eating habits.

BB had just arrived, after flying from Japan to England, making plenty of plane switches along the way. L didn't know how BB felt about seeing his old colleague again, but he knew that he was feeling rather nervous. And all that nervousness depended on BB's reaction, which, let him reiterate, he couldn't predict.

L had given BB the apartment address in a heavily coded message, knowing how much BB liked complicated puzzles. He had easily solved it and now stood in what was to become his new home.

He still felt like he had power, dominance, over BB, though he knew those days were long gone. The feeling didn't particularly scare him, but sparked his curiosity. He wondered if BB felt the same thing. Whatever the case, he led the other through the apartment to the guest room. It was plainly decorated, as was the rest of the living space, but neither man honestly cared.

BB put down his suitcases and backpack in the center of the room before turning back to L, a happy look on his face, which quickly transformed into a bored expression.

Taking the hint, L proceeded with the questioning he had been waiting for, "Tell me again why BB is here?"

"I thought I explained that rather well in the email," he whined, pouting. BB then crouched down to open one of his suitcases. Instead of being filled with the normal necessities—clothes and toiletries—it was filled with his own necessities—jam, and chemicals, weapons, and whatnot for experiments. He pulled out one of the jam jars and quickly opened it, finally glancing up at L from the floor.

L sighed at the sight. The other hadn't really changed all that much. "BB stated that he needed my assistance with the Shinigami drug-dealers as well as a place to stay because he has yet to begin his pattern in another country. He also stated that he was having flashbacks, if my memory is correct."

"That's pretty much it. I didn't think I would need to move as quickly as I have just now. See, Japan was my last stop. If I was lucky, I could make a bunch of money without doing too much and live rather comfortably as long as I didn't raise the crime and murder rate too high by myself."

"BB made money off the Shinigami drug?" L asked curiously. So, that's the reason he had sold it...

After a particularly large mouthful of jam, BB replied the affirmative. "See," he started, "I was getting bored w/ stealing and other petty crimes that didn't involve enough fun and murder to make it through life—plus, there was always that small chance of getting caught, no matter how unlikely. Also, Japan seemed to be a pretty nice place; I liked it there. So, I quickly 'befriended' this guy, Ryuk, who seemed stupid enough to fool easily, but smart enough not to be caught. He also seemed to be quite sadistic and fun-loving, traits I needed for what I wanted."

L nodded, understanding where this was going.

"I told him 'bout my Death Note drug, saying that I could sell him the instructions and stuff for creating an almost identical, but cheaper and more easily made knock-off drug. He got a few friends together, most disgustingly greedy and one just forced to come along for the ride. Ha, he was such a wimpy guy, too. Glad I killed him. There was too high a chance he would have compromised everything. Also, it was my first time testing out the Shinigami myself. It worked pretty well, but not as effectively as the Death Note, I can tell you that.

"Anyway, they couldn't pull together even close to the amount of money I wanted for the info. I gave them a deal: pay me off, with interest, through your earnings—which I promised would be high…and they were—as if it's a loan. Get what I'm saying? Kya! They actually fell for it, though that woman was a little wary. She was such a killjoy. But Ryuk and I already made a deal that I would be getting thirty percent of their profit. I'm basically taking seventy-five percent of their profit."

With a frown, L summed up, "You scammed them."

"Yep!" BB cried proudly, standing up to his full height, just slightly taller than L, since his slouch was much less pronounced.

L just sighed, knowing there was definitely no getting through to BB, now more than ever.

BB tossed his empty jam jar behind him, the look on his face alerting L that he relished the sound of the glass cracking. Sadly, it did not shatter—luckily for L, however. He then began stripping himself of his clothes and tossing them in the opposite direction before bending over his still-closed suit-case, naked, and opening it just a crack to be able to pull out a clean outfit. "I'm tired. Gonna take a cat nap."

L had averted his eyes, but wondered about what could be hidden in the suitcase. As it was BB's…it could be anything.

He finally turned around completely, about to exit the room, when BB called after him, making him stop in his tracks. "If I scream incomprehensibly, just know that that is not usual behavior. It started, to the best of my knowledge, a few weeks ago." Around the anniversary of A's death and their escape from Wammy's House.

That'll probably wake the neighbors.

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**Author's Note: I wrote most of L's part, while planned out in the shower, around 12:30-1:00am. I have a late start school tomorrow and forced this out so I can focus on other stuff on here in my free time *cough*Wo-Man and Life Note*cough* Sorry for any mistakes; I'm insanely tired.**

**So, Mello explained stuff, and now is hot on BB's trail. There'll prob be some clues that Light figures out along the way pointing to Team LABB, as Mello uncovers them, but that won't be right now. I did make Mello's speech up on the spot. And I added in BB's crack at Gelus's death to give you readers more info than **  
**Light, just to make you feel more important and smarter than Light. XD**

**I can barely keep my eyes open right now, so I'm gonna read through it one more time and then post. Sorry that it was so short, BB wasn't well-developed...yet...and...whatnot. I'm trying to keep him in character while getting rid of the Shinigami Eyes and also keeping him away from the Frozen Hearts BB...^_-**

**Review please, w/ any comments, concerns, etc!**


	10. Ready When You Are

**Author's Note: Forced my inspiration to come to me. Sorta pretty much made it up as I went along. Listening to the Chicago soundtrack while writing is quite...interesting. HE HAD IT ****COMING! XP Then listening to Three Days Grace...Yeah, I'm bizarre.**

**So, no real plot for this chapter. I decided to move things along. Random mission is random. Sorry 'bout that. L and BB...KYAHAHAHAHA! Ah, and I have chemistry on the mind; sorry.**

**Warning: As always for now on, BB. Also, a bit of violence! Heehee. Also, it's a shortie chapter, sorry!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Death Note, maybe I would've kidnapped people to draw it for me...and write it for me...I do own, however, this kidnapping idea! MUAHAHA!**

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Chapter 10

_**Light**_

We sat in my room once again the next morning, right after dawn. I'm an early riser; Mello and Matt…aren't. I'm unsure if Near ever sleeps. It was time to give my team our new assignment…and the info on Higuchi's blood sample. It only took a week to get it because of the secrecy it needed in the lab. I was able to threaten, blackmail, and bribe the lab worker I gave the blood to so that nobody would find out about it. Ever.

"Alright, mission first, or lab findings?" I asked the other three. It was pretty much saying "bad news or good news?" only neither were that great of news. Nothing really ever is at Wammy's House.

Head lying on the table between us, Matt murmured sleepily, "…Lab…"

"I agree with Matt," Near supplied. "The lab data would be much more interesting.

Getting hotheaded—which makes no sense for so early in the morning for these guys—Mello retorted, "Well, you know what? I want to know about our mission first, if you don't mind!"

I just shook my head, not understanding these guys. "Two outvotes one, Mello. Though we don't actually have a democracy, I honestly don't care at this point. Whatever. The lab said," I began, holding up the documents I was given yesterday, "he had died less than an hour before we got there—though that should be obvious; the rigor mortis had yet to take effect. They couldn't find a single trace of a drug in his system…until they looked at the very molecules. Whoever created this Death Note really knew what he was doing; they could barely find the different particles."

"Then that settles it. We're dealing with somebody with the means of getting the Death Note drug," Near offered his insight.

"Yeah…" Matt agreed, trying to pull himself up into sitting position. I wanted to slap him awake, but contained myself. Mello read my thoughts and slapped Matt upside the head, pulling his shoulder to force him to sit. I almost thanked him. Almost.

"So," Mello went on, "that also means that whoever has possession of the Death Note now must have had connections to the creator of the Death Note before, right? He doesn't seem like one to trust others." Near gave Mello an odd look and he just scowled in his direction. "Research," was his only answer.

I cleared my throat to get us back on task. "As for our new mission," I began and they all snapped back into attention, "we must find and eliminate a con man that goes by the name of Aiber. Here's his picture." I pulled it out of my breast pocket and flipped it onto the table.

Curly blond hair and slight stubble, the candid photograph captured a well-dressed handsome man talking comfortably on the phone, a drink in hand.

"Watari also gave me his real, birth name. Thierry Morrelle. Ready to find him? Matt, Near, do your thing. Once you have enough info, give it to Mello and I and we'll take it from there. Until then, Mello, continue your private research and I will as well."

We would hopefully have everything we needed in just under a week. He didn't seem like that hard of a guy to find. It could have been a solo mission, for all I cared.

_**L**_

The room, to put it lightly, was a mess. Already, in just one day, there were clothes strewn everywhere, jam stains in the carpet and on the walls and even the ceiling, spilt chemicals and broken glass surrounding the desk. Need L go on?

The two suitcases still lay in the center of the room, one open and the other locked closed. BB's backpack was sitting on his bed, which was just as messy as the rest of the room, blankets strewn about.

The only difference was that there lay a figure in the bed, stretched out on his stomach, black hair a total mess, pants pulled down slightly more than L would appreciate, no shirt, and a Wara Ningyo clutched in one hand, held close to his body. The other hand was dangling off the side of the bed, as was the opposite foot on the other side of the bed.

Though he hated doing this, L needed as much time as he could have, and needed BB's help. He couldn't believe that he would ever need to partner up with his old teammate again, but he might as well if he had the option. It would make everything much easier on this next mission.

He scuffled over to the sleeping BB, careful of anything on the floor that could cause him bodily harm or discomfort. Carefully, he extended a hand towards his look-alike, calling out his name as he lightly tapped him. Wrong move.

The next thing he knew, he was on his back, laying on BB's bed with BB towering over him, kitchen knife in hand, holding him down. Luckily, L was prepared—partially—and also was still a trained assassin. He was able to hold BB off before his head was lopped off and pulled a leg beneath and around BB's form, pulling him off his person and crashing to the floor.

BB shot back up and jumped at L again. But L wasn't there, instead balancing on the wooden nightstand. He jumped on top of BB, one foot landing on BB's chest, the other at his neck. But he was able to bend his knees enough to put most of his weight on the foot on BB's chest and not cause too much of an impact.

A hand swooped down and captured the knife in BB's hand, throwing it to the side and into the wall, directly above the center of the headboard of the bed.

"It's just I, BB, just L," L panted from on top of his old teammate. He was not used to this kind of hand-to-hand combat in too long.

BB chuckled but lightly pushed at L's ankles, signaling he was not going to hurt him and would like to sit up. L complied and sat next to BB. "You still make an excellent sparring partner, L," BB stated. "Sorry 'bout that—reflex."

"You sleep with a knife under your pillow?" L questioned.

"Kyahaha! No, it was in here." He reached around L and picked up what used to be the Wara Ningyo. The strings were undone and the straw was going everywhere. An interesting place to hide a knife, L thought. "So, what do you need so badly you woke me up?"

L took a deep breath and explained, "I have all the ingredients needed still, but could you please make your Death Note for me. Just one dose. I don't have enough time and need to research as much as I can in about a week."

BB nodded. "Hmm…this secret project sure sounds interesting. I guess I'll help…But it'll cost you!" He said the last words right in L's face, almost scaring the detective if it wasn't for him being used to BB's antics from years ago.

"Yes, I understand…" L sighed. "What do you want?"

Rubbing his fingers and thumb together, BB answered, "Info, my dear L. Why are you in need of my drug? Why do you have such a time limit?"

Again, L sighed. "I knew I would have to explain to you eventually. You'll need to know anyway for the last thing I ask of you…"

"Which is?" BB questioned, leaning forward again.

"I need your help in going on…missions again." It was hard for L to say this, as it brought them back into a past they had escaped from so long ago. How could he ask for BB to come with him on missions again when they were so despised back at Wammy's?

BB's already wide eyes widened. After a long pause, in which he fingered the broken doll in his hands absentmindedly, BB stood and searched the room for a not completely eaten jar of strawberry jam. Finally, he found one on his desk and stuck his hand inside, scooping out a handful and bringing it to his mouth. In his search, the Wara Ningyo had dropped to the floor, so he used his now free hand to fiddle with different test tubes and containers and the like on his desk.

Finally, he whipped around and stated, "I'll do it!" He strode back in L's direction and cried, "But first, details!"

"Right," L said and took a deep breath. He couldn't believe that he was actually sharing all his secrets to this man, but it had to be done. If BB didn't trust you one hundred percent, then he didn't trust you at all. "As you know, I am a detective. Ten years ago, I was given a case to find a missing boy. This boy was ten years old and kidnapped from his room in the middle of the night without a trace."

BB gasped. It was fake and over dramatized but got his point across. "Wammy's…" he muttered.

"Yes, and I've been trying to find him ever since. I've now tracked him down, as well as his team. In fact, because of the absentmindedness of one of his teammates—there are four in all—I have the exact location of Wammy's House. However, I do not wish to just go in and get him. Rather, I'd like to play a game with him. I thought I deserved it…"

"As you do," BB cut in. Games were always fun…

L eyed BB warily. Yes, leave it to BB to think that torturing people was a game. "So, I'm killing off his missions right before he gets there, leaving notes to help him track me down. It will be much easier than me infiltrating a place that I barely escaped from with my life, doesn't BB agree?"

"Yep, I do. And that's where my Death Note comes into play?" He was sitting on the bed again, still licking at his fingers.

"Yes. And I would also appreciate not going on my missions alone. Last time was quite harder than I thought. Also, the teammate whose computer I hacked, I accidentally ran into a problem with and I don't think I can hack into it anymore. Meaning that I can only hack into my boy's computer. But I don't want to do that too often and thus can only go in occasionally to find the target of their next mission. I must do my own research once again."

"Fun," BB smiled. "Sign me up." And with that, he extended his still-wet and sticky hand to shake. L turned him down, but thanked him nevertheless. He then left the room, needing to start on finding this new man the Mid-Knights were after.

L smiled slightly to himself, glad he had his old teammate back, and knowing that things were going to get a lot harder from now on.

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**Author's Note: I don't know if I've ever written an action sequence! Wow...*goes to check through all stories I have written* If lemons/limes don't count, there's a few mini-action ****sequences ((if you can call them that)) in Life Note and the, duh, that weird scene earlier this story w/ Naomi, Matt, Halle, and Light...^_- So, that was really fun to write. I could totally ****picture it in my head, so I hope you guys could too. Just seems like a BB thing to do, you know?**

**Was everyone in character? I'm trying to give BB that insane psycho feel, while keeping that trained assassin past a part of him.**

**I hope you've enjoyed this long overdue chapter, and again, I apologize for its shortness. Next chapter should be their mission ((speeding things up)) so it should be longer. ^-^**

**Please review, if you don't mind!**


	11. Battle Lost but War Raging

**Author's Note: So, I have finally completed Life Note. And, as those readers know, my top priority stories are now Imperfection and sorta Wo-Man. However, I also mentioned that if I got ****inspiration for this, I would update...So...I actually got inspiration for this by watching a Death Note AMV to Mad World. It's in my YouTube faves if you wanna see it. ((Link in profile))**

**Anyway, I actually forgot exactly what happened last chapter, but I really wanted to write more, so I just took off from wherever ((after rereading, obviously)).**

**Warning: Well, character death ((sorry Aiber fans! If the character wasn't mentioned before, expect a mission for them sooner or later...)). Swearing. And, of course, my nice, little BB...XP**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. Otherwise, well, let's just say the power would have gone to my head... I do own Death Machine and its ideas!**

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**Chapter 11**

_**Light**_

One week later, Mello and I were scaling the vines of a three-story mansion located in a suburb of Paris. Aiber was currently living in a house he conned out of a man he had actually known quite well in his childhood—if Matt's research was correct. The thought sickened me and I couldn't wait to kill this man. He deserved it.

"Mello," Near said over the headset while he sat as patiently as ever in the plane. At Mello's quiet acknowledgement, Near quickly explained, "There is a butler quite close to the window from which you will be entering."

I could hear Mello scoff at Near's overly-formal speech, but he relayed that he understood and proceeded to climb more quickly on the vines. We were using special sticky-gloves just for this kind of thing—rope climbing, vine scaling, even rock climbing. They weren't strong enough to pull a wall-scaling move, but the technology was getting there. The best parts were that they left no residue and never lost their stickiness. They also didn't stick to each other, much like a spider and its web. They made the climb easier on our poor hands, no matter how hard they had gotten over the years.

Mello reached the window first, obviously, and climbed inside while I hung on the vines outside. I could just start to hear a slight cracking when there came thump inside. I took that as my cue to enter and heaved myself over the window ledge into the corridor. It was a little brighter than I would have liked, the lamps placed every few meters all on. Obviously, Aiber had no care about the environment either.

I grimaced at the lighting fixtures, disliking them and their ability to throw shadows everywhere. Still, Mello and I headed down the hall as Near directed. He explained our man was in the study on the third floor, which was why we had gone up the vines in the first place.

When we were right outside the door, however, Matt made a choking sound over the headset. Usually, he remained quiet unless muttering to himself while hacking systems, like he already had before we entered the damn property. This was not a good sign.

"What's wrong?" I muttered, almost to myself. I almost expected this to happen, actually. I had a pretty good idea, too, of what was going on.

Matt stammered, "W-well…I don't know how this happened, but…well…I had Aiber on the screen just a second ago. I mean, I knew he was reading his book; we could see him. Right, Near?" Near obviously didn't respond. Matt went on, "And now, as soon as you guys appeared in the camera outside the door, the camera on Aiber shorted out. Well, at least, I think it did. I can't find it at all no matter what I do, and trust me, I'm trying!"

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, in utter disbelief. How could we be fooled yet again? How could this happen twice now? Obviously, the camera we were currently in was also hacked, but that chip was only on the one in the study.

At that moment, before I could even begin to think, there was a gasp behind us. I whipped around to see Mello already going after the maid. She was out in a matter of seconds and her memory was probably cut off a bit as well.

That's when I looked down the opposite way to see if another servant was coming. But no, that would have been impossible because the others that could have come from that direction were already knocked out apparently.

Holy crap. Could that mean that this stalker could have only come by recently? Mello rushed to one of the people neither of us had touched lying on the ground. I tried to stop him, but didn't want to alert anyone else in the house. He looked up, wide-eyed but relieved.

"She's alive," he breathed. So, he was wondering if the others had been killed, since this person obviously didn't play by the rules. I understood his reasoning, but decided that this guy would definitely not kill any innocents. Only the criminals and only to mess with me.

That's when I heard a sharp click from inside the room I was still standing in front of, the study. I waved Mello over sharply and once he was by my side, I slid the door open as quietly as humanely possible.

But nobody was inside. Well, nobody but what I knew was the corpse of Aiber. No window was opened, no vent uncovered. The ceiling was not made of tiles that could be moved aside. And there were no closets in this room. Matt and Near already concluded that there were also no hidden passages in this mansion at all; it was too new.

He was too good. Much too good.

Not worried about how loud I was anymore, figuring out exactly what was going on, I ordered, "Go check those servants again." There was no way they could have only recently been knocked out, with how long Matt had been watching the cameras. And Aiber had actually been _moving_ when we arrived, turning pages as he read. He was still alive, no drug injected in him to kill him. What did this all mean, then?

"Just tell them," Near said over the headset, probably to Matt.

"Tell me what?" I questioned testily. This couldn't be good news.

Matt just didn't seem to be at the top of his game, did he? "U-um…Where's Mello?"

"What?" I snapped, heading towards the window to see if I could witness anybody from there. Nothing. They could be on the roof, but I needed to check the body right now. And there was no way to get to the roof with what I had in my pack quickly enough. I slammed a fist on the window, but hurried to Aiber's body.

"Well, I c-can't see him in my…Oh, God." We both reached the same conclusion. "The cameras beyond the study door were hacked before we even got here. Is there something, other servants, under those cameras?"

"Yeah, Mello's checking them out right—" I started.

Mello interrupted. "They've been knocked out for a good hour already by the looks of it. And it seems like a pretty long-term drug that must be in their systems," he explained.

While he talked, I examined. Again, no sign of death at all. He looked like he could be sleeping, still extremely warm. His fingers were limp on the halves of the book he had "set" in his lap. My trained eyes scanned the room for anything out of the ordinary. The only thing I spotted was the extra device on the camera. "Matt, would you like another of the camera chips?" I questioned.

He replied the affirmative, and I set Mello on getting it down once he got back into the room. In the meantime, I busied myself with checking the body, to see if there was any paper like there was with Higuchi. My teammates thought I was checking for the cause of death, though I already knew for sure. Still, I found a very small injection hole at the nape of his neck, half-covered by his hair and disguised easily as a beauty mark. I also collected a bit of blood, just in case.

There was no slip of paper on him at all, though I even checked his pockets. I was actually rather pissed. Was this a game or not? I didn't want to lose whatever game this was, and that required another goddamn note from the perpetrator, this other player.

My eyes glanced over the empty martini glass on the table. The straw in it looked oddly…dull. I mean, it wasn't plastic and shiny like most straws are. And there were…lines on it. I quickly pulled it out of the glass and shoved it into a hidden pocket on the inside of my shirt before Mello could see it. The bottom was slightly wet, but not too much, as there were only droplets left in the glass.

"I got the chip," Mello said, shocking me slightly, but not enough to show. He jumped down to the ground, landing gracefully, as per his nature.

I just sighed and said, "We better get going. No use sticking around here." I opened the window and launched outside, rolling in midair twice before landing in the recently mowed lawn on the side of the house. Mello landed next to me and we ran to where we had hidden the bike before leaving.

On the plane ride back home, which was definitely quick, I sat quietly next to an agitated Matt, who had forced Near to copilot so he could figure out what the fuck was going on with those cameras, as he put it so crudely.

I could only unravel the ripped piece of paper once in the privacy of my own room, having locked everyone else outside with the excuse of another "failed" mission ticking me off too much. Matt was already heading towards his room to study the second chip and Mello decided he wanted to sleep while Near did more research.

Something was just so wrong. How could this man have done all that in such a short period? He had to knock out almost a whole mansion, minus the butler and maid Mello and I had found to make it seem "normal" until too late. He also had to somehow place the chips on the camera, and hack into that and the one outside the door, plus all the others down the hall. Three separate kinds of hacking, obviously. Not only that, but he had to use his computer to watch out for Mello and me while simultaneously sneaking into the study to kill Aiber in the extremely short period time we were standing right outside the door.

It just couldn't be possible.

Finally, finally, I took out the lined paper and unwound it from its tight cylinder. I could only simmer at the words written in a different handwriting than before. Oh, he was good.

_My dear Light-kun, if you can up your power this round, so can I. Enjoy the Death Note, my little death machine. Ryuzaki-senpai_

He does not own me! I am not a little kid, but he obviously had now used three ways in this note alone to refer to the fact he must be older and superior to me. He used the –kun suffix again and then called me "little." Again, how can I be the death machine if he is the one who has killed my last two missions? And he used the suffix –senpai on his own name, meaning he still considers himself my superior, but I think he just gave me one more hint…

Plus, he finally gave me a name, which was most definitely an alias but would still be helpful.

But the power part…What did he mean that I upped my power? The only way for him to think that is that I…had another teammate this round, though I didn't know how he could know. So that meant he wasn't working alone this time, either! Obviously! But that just made it that much harder…

Or did it? Who else would help this guy but the very person who was supplying him his drug?

_**L**_

Taking in a huge lungful of air, L collapsed on the roof of the mansion. BB was sitting in a peculiar crouch similar to L's, but with a computer on his legs as well. He was balanced on top of a protruding window's roof, the topmost corner between his legs.

L treaded carefully, as not to fall nor make noise that would alert Light or his teammate. He leaned over his own teammate to see the computer's screen. It displayed several camera images. The two that were currently zoomed in were the ones outside the door to the study, where the blond currently stood, and the one to the room in which Light had just entered. He ordered something of his teammate, who disappeared down the hallway.

Luckily, L had already hacked the cameras and replaced the footage seamlessly so Light's techy couldn't see BB go in and knock out the other servants in the house.

He knew Light's team would make sure not to make the same mistakes as last time, and thus waited until the very possible last moment to kill Aiber without being caught. He predicted Light would pause outside the study once he found out he would have to go in blind. He would then probably notice the bodies down the hall and have to check them out. He would only come in once L made the "mistake" of clicking shut Aiber's own pen.

He then escaped out the window while Light paused to assess the situation and call back his teammate, which all went according to plan from BB's affirmation. He'd been watching the cameras the whole time, quite excited to be able to do something other than infiltrate and kill.

Though the killing part was hard for both parties—L and BB. It wasn't that hard for Aiber, who didn't even hear L come in and only felt the slight prick of the needle entering his skin on his neck. After that, nothing. But for L and BB…

BB loved that part of the missions back at Wammy's. He loved the kill and that's why he continued to kill to this day, but just different methods, developing the Death Note among them. L, on the other hand, never had to kill before and this was his second murder. It pulled at something inside him, though he couldn't put his finger on it. Something that must be missing anyway.

He thought he had given up the missions years ago, had given up this horrendous lifestyle. He was calling Light a "death machine" but the guy hadn't killed in the last two weeks because _he_ had taken the kills instead.

Still, L did not ponder on this too long. Instead, he watched over BB's shoulder as Light and Mello went about their duties. Light even let out a small bit of frustration when he hit the window. L had to crack a smile at that. Light was still human, after all, despite all the brainwashing.

Before the two teens left, however, Light had finally found the cleverly disguised note. L was actually beginning to worry he wouldn't, but that would have been underestimating a brilliant mind L knew he was on par with to play a game. The two then flew out the window and into the grass. BB and L made sure to lean back enough that they wouldn't be seen. It was easy enough.

Light and his teammate ran quickly into the night until L's naked eyes could see them no longer. He smirked, knowing Light was well on his way to tracking down L himself. One little hint magnified each note would definitely get him far.

L finally sighed and began to pack up his computer while BB prepared the ropes for their descent. L was actually worried about BB's compliance and silence. He knew something was coming, something bad. But all he could do was wait it out. So, he and BB took off into a run as soon as their feet hit the ground and easily found the wall over which they had first climbed hours ago. They'd staked out the mansion for most of the day, just to make sure they would beat Light and his team.

Once in the car, L driving for the simple reason of his inability to trust BB behind the wheel, the two remained silent. BB just stared out the window.

As they made their way into the parking lot of the hotel L had gotten for the night before and that night, BB suddenly inquired, "Can we go see the Eiffel Tower?"

L paused, unsure what BB was really implying. Finally, he answered, "No. It's the dead of night. And we have no time tomorrow."

"Aww," BB complained. "But I wanted to sight-see! I never got to when we were on our old missions 'cause we always had to go straight back. And now we have the freedom to go see anything we want, why not the Eiffel Tower?"

With a sigh, L replied, "Because there is a chance you might try to throw something—or some_one_—off the Tower."

BB simmered in his seat, arms crossed like a child, but he said no more. L had a strong feeling he was right. The thought unnerved him, but not for too long. This _was_ BB after all. As soon as he parked, L climbed in back and began to change into his normal clothes. BB did as well in the front seat. L soon climbed back into the front to get out the driver's side. Together, they walked inside and up to their floor.

Once in their room, L went over to the telephone and dialed room service. BB had gone into the bathroom, so L was able to order a special treat of extra jam with his ice cream and pastries he ordered. They hadn't eaten since they left around eleven in the morning, minus a few bags of snacks and energy bars they had packed.

When he got off the phone, L noticed a thud coming from the bathroom, followed by retching sounds. His eyes widened and he rushed to the door, but it was, of course, locked. He quickly chose between picking the lock and knocking down the door. It was too small a bathroom to knock down without it landing on BB, so he kicked off the door handle, knowing he was bending the lock he had inspected yesterday, when they had first arrived.

He was then able to open the door to see BB kneeling in front of the toilet, heaving the contents of his stomach into the bowl. L hurried to the other, not knowing what to do. BB looked up at him and smiled without showing his probably disgusting teeth. His eyes were tired and solemn.

"Too many memories," he whispered. "I don't want to remember…" He turned back to the toilet and threw up again.

L understood. The mission had brought up memories of missions past, when A was still alive. BB, for one, didn't want to remember their past at Wammy's and two, didn't want to be forced to remember A. A was always the one of the computer, and this time…BB had to hold that job…

"You don't need to help me anymore," L soothed, but still didn't touch the other man.

BB waved him off, face resting on the toilet, the seat having been raised—they were both men, after all. His mouth slightly disfigured by his position, he muttered, "No…no, I wanna help…It's…fun…" In his eyes shown something not far off from insanity.

L sighed but had to stand. He had heard a knock at the door. He, too, was being tortured by reliving their past, but he knew it had to be done. He'd taken this case for a reason and if this was the price he had to pay, then so be it. He would shut down Wammy's from the inside if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

**Author's Note: As you might have been able to tell by now, I enjoy coming up with spy gadgets and the like. It's fun, I guess...**

**I actually didn't know how I wanted the chapter to go, or really what L was gonna say in his note. So, as said last ending author's note, this was meant to be the next mission. And now, ****you see L also has his own private mission that's been bubbling under the serface since the beginning. ^_-**

**BB is just way too entertaining. I'm sorry that he had to get all emotional. When my fingers take over for my brain, this is where it takes me. I like it, though, because otherwise BB would ****have remained two-dimensional and not as intricate of a character. He watched his best friend and possible lover die before his eyes. If that doesn't fuck up his mind, I don't know what ****does.**

**Light's getting a lot more testy, isn't he? He's swearing a lot and I did that on purpose. He's pissed at his "stalker." I wanted to give L a name because "stalker" and "that person" were ****really starting to annoy me. Light won't tell the others, obviously ((or will he?)), but it's for his own thoughts. I did see if I could not-so-closely reference DN by looking of the meaning of ****Ryuzaki. The best I got was a man's name based after the star constallation Draco, the Dragon. Yes, I did almost have L call himself Dragon but I just didn't like it.**

**I'm really sorry for the 7-month wait. I don't know when the next chapter will be coming out, but I'm prob just focusing all my efforts on this, Imperfection, and Wo-Man, updating ****whenever now that Life Note's done. I really do enjoy this story. **  
**Reviews do make me update more quickly, FYI.**


	12. As the Shields Break

**Author's Note: Okay, wow, um, okay. I haven't updated this since...June. Yeah, that's not good. Seven months, Ilandere, are you serious? I'm sorry! Really! You see, I've lost a lot of inspiration to, well, write. Anything. Original stories, fanfiction...I can only seem to write really depressing poetry and draw disturbing pictures...**

**And then, while avoiding doing homework, I grabbed my journal and found what I have written of Imperfection - a few chapters beyond what's posted. I started writing for the next chapter...And then almost got caught and so went back to my hw. Then, on my computer and faking doing homework, I'd decided to try my hand at writing more Death Machine. And then, over the course of a few weeks, I wrote L's part at school.**

**To recap last chapter: Aiber was killed by L. Light is pissed beyond belief. L and BB are both suffering from the missions because of memories reserfacing - ones of A, mostly. And L has revealed his hidden motive of wanting to shut down Wammy's from the inside.**

**Warning: The usual - swearing and BB. Also, L and BB are becoming more...human...?**

**Disclaimer: I own Death...Machine. Not Death Note. Sorry.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

_**Light**_

I stared at Mello in disbelief. He had come to my room early the following morning, after apparently pulling an all-nighter. Luckily, I had done the same thing, contemplating the newfound note and all the clues it held. It wasn't that the conclusion he had reached was shocking or surprising; it was just that he had actually figured out exactly what I had been thinking.

He had knocked on the door, jolting me only slightly, though I was able to appear completely at ease. The knocks were hurried and followed closely by another set. I had quickly pulled open the door to a frazzled Mello, who looked even worse off than I probably did at that moment.

Breathing heavily, trying to catch his breath, he had slammed the door shut—too loudly for so early—and had stridden to the center table and his normal chair. Once seated, he'd stated with urgency, "The Death Note. It has to be the Death Note creator. He has to be working with this creator. I know how weird it sounds, but just hear me out."

And that's when I just began to stare at him, eyes wide but otherwise with a stoic face. The staring contest continued or a few more moments before he pulled out a few documents.

"Okay, just listen. There was no way the stalker could've done everything yesterday all by himself. He needed either a techy person or a person to double for other things, like helping with knocking out the servants. And I've decided—what better person to use as backup than the very person who can manipulate people the most, the one who created the Death Note and Shinigami drugs?" His eager words were met with silence.

Finally, I voiced, "Have you been doing more research?"

"Yes," he stated firmly. My eyes pressed him forward. "And…there's nothing. He's gone, disappeared. The crime rates have gone down to normal levels for Japan, eleven of the thirteen hideouts he had there have been found, and there's no increasing crime rates anywhere else in the country or even in the United Sates, if he was going any farther east, like he should, according to his pattern. I know it might be too early to tell, but I feel like he's gone backwards, to the beginning."

"What do you mean?" I questioned, my sleepless night starting to catch up with me, and yet adrenaline beginning to pump through my veins.

Mello took a deep breath before continuing, "I've gotten all the way back to Northern Ireland. Before that, there's nothing more western. And it's still the UK, which is where we are. Plus, he goes to all the major countries, and yet skips over Great Britain from Ireland? It makes no sense unless he was always meant to come back here, or had a reason to leave in the first place. He had to have started somewhere, and is avoiding the United States quite well in his country hopping, as if there's no importance to it. Or perhaps it's too big? Either way, he's back here, has to be. And he's working with our stalker."

I paused for several seconds, processing everything. After a while of tense silence, I ordered, "Get Matt and Near here, now." Mello nodded and scurried out of the room.

We're either dealing with an evil mastermind and his henchman, bent on ruining my teammates' lives, or two evil geniuses willing to sacrifice everything…to destroy us. It's time my team knew about everything going on.

It didn't take long to debrief Near and Matt on everything Mello knew about the Death Note's creator. The information coincided wonderfully with Near's data on the Shinigami. I, of course, refused to admit anything about the notes left for me. Even without the extra information, both of the others were easily able to understand all the details. Everything seemed to be coming together perfectly…

Almost too perfectly. There was a missing link, I knew. I suspected at least Near had the gears turning in his head that something had to be off. Something was just not right. _Something_ was missing. But what?

At precisely ten o'clock, just about three hours after Mello first entered my room, Watari's voice filled my room through the speakers installed in each corner. As brief as always, he stated, "Mid-Knights, well done on yet another mission. I have your next victim waiting in my office."

Matt jumped up and shouted with a hand raised, "I'll get it!" He then bounded out the room. The three of us stared after him, almost in awe if we weren't so used to it already. Still, it made me wonder…How can a trained assassin be that…upbeat? No, more like deranged.

We three waited in perfect silence for a few minutes before Mello became impatient and began to pace. Near and I continued to sit at the meeting table, staring at nothing in particular and each in our own thoughts. However, I'm quite sure they were similar thoughts. We both needed that extra missing link. There must be something hidden from us, something possibly…emotional?

No, impossible. Whatever we needed, it was purely informational, not at all out of reach.

Eventually, possibly only fifteen minutes later, something collided into my door with an audible thump. As Mello was already up, he strutted towards the door and eased it open, wary of what could have hit it. In crashed Matt, face-first, onto my floor. Luckily, while the rest of the floor is beautiful, sparkling tile, I've placed a mat at the door so others can take wipe off all excess dirt. It still didn't cushion the fall much, nevertheless.

Mello immediately scrambled to pick up his friend, questioning what had happened. Near and I were on edge, though I more than Near, as he still lacked my fighting abilities. "Has someone hurt you? Was it Linda? Oh, no! Was it Halle?" Mello had flipped over Matt so he was lying in his arms and I could see his chest heaving with large breaths.

"Shut that door," I called to Mello, who quickly followed my orders without breaking eye contact from Matt's seemingly abused body.

While Matt continued to breathe heavily and randomly have coughing fits, Mello carried him to my bed—my precious, clean bed!—and laid him down gently. Minutes passed and the three of us crowded around the other teen. I was about to grab my mission tools when the redhead finally held up a picture with writing on the back. I knew it had to be our next victim, so I just snatched it from him and slammed it on the table before coming back to him. Despite my utter detestation, he was still my teammate and I couldn't just lose him like this.

"W-w…" Matt finally gasped out. We leaned in closer. After another coughing fit, he whined, "Watari's sending me back to PE! I…I was so…out of breath…by the time…I got to his…his office, that he…told me and ha-handed me this…slip…He then…had Ms. Amane…chase me the rest…of the way h-here…!"

The three of us groaned and fell back into our original positions, Mello going so far as to land on his back. I stared at the ceiling, pleading that this must be a hallucination!

A knock at my door caused me to shoot up. I carefully stepped over Mello—despite my desire to step _on_ him—and opened the door to find Amane-sensei standing sweetly, chest jutting out just slightly. Her eyelashes batted a few times before she asked in an obnoxiously sugary voice, "I just came back to ask if Matty is alright. I didn't want to hurt him! I was only following Watari's orders. So, how is the cutie?" Her voice dropped an octave on the question, though it did nothing to seduce the one who was trained to be asexual.

I sighed, but smiled a sultry smile of my own and allowed my teacher entrance to see the boy she had chased. At the sight of her, Matt screamed and slammed into the wall my bed was next to, trying to get as far away from her as possible. Amane-sensei pouted, but muttered, "Fair enough." She sauntered over to my bed and leaned down, her chest in fully view for Matt, lacy top barely covering anything. "I'm very sorry, Matty-kins. I promise I'll…make it up to you…" Though I couldn't see, I swear she winked at him. He gulped and she stood before simply walking out of my room. "Bye, Light!" she called before I closed the door on her.

Mello, Near, and I shuddered and Matt continued to shiver and whimper on my bed, messing up my covers.

Thirteen days later, Mello gunned his motorcycle and we traveled through the streets of a small Romanian city under the cloak of night. Merrie Kenwood, AKA Wedy, a professional cat burglar, lay in her bathtub in the motel room she'd been living in for the past four days with her throat slit. By now, the bathwater must be cold and staining her body red with the blood dripping from her neck—though not as much blood as I would have liked for it to look like I had killed her that way. The surveillance cameras she'd installed herself Mello had added just the day before what Matt hoped to be a replica of the chips we'd stolen from our previous scenes. Nevertheless, without our knowledge, though we can't figure out how, they were replaced by our stalker and his friend.

Why can't anything go my way?

At least I had the last piece of the puzzle hidden inside my jumpsuit…

_Raito-kun, you are wasting precious time. I would have thought a death machine like you would have centered your search by now. Are you giving up or simply running away? Ryuzaki-sempai_

Oh, I'm far from running away, Ryuzaki-_sempai_. I'm simply…fitting together the last of the puzzle…

_**L**_

Back in England finally, L and BB remained as separated as before. They barely talked to each other except when discussing their next plans or BB telling L what he needed from the store. L, however, continued to do little things to please his old teammate and friend, knowing how hard the missions were for him. These included extra jam jars and straw for his Wara Ningyo, as well as a detailed book on the human eye, as L remembered BB's fascination with the instrument of sight.

More than once, L caught himself staring at BB from across the room or through a rarely opened doorway. These times forced him to realize how much they had both changed over the years. And not just the years separated. Sixteen years from the time they had met, and the scared, innocent, brown-haired boy seemed just a faint memory of a dream. Now, a (possibly) criminally insane man with a blood—and jam—stained shirt and died black hair stood in his place. And L didn't know if he lied or loathed the drastic change.

A few times, his hands subconsciously found the old drawing of the three of them…LABB. After their team formed, A became more outgoing and self-confident. By the time of their escape, many of his nervous twitches were gone. He had even stood up against all those other classmates so his friends could get away.

Had he, L, changed as much as the other two? Since running away, he became more reclusive, secretive, but he thought that only natural. But since his original kidnapping, had he curled in on himself more? Had he tried to cleanse the murder from his body by drowning himself in sweets? Had he wished to taint the fewest things possible with his touch?

And he realized, yes, he had. His entire _being_ derived from his only memories—those of Watari and Wammy's House. So, L became scared. For the first time, he realized the implications of his final mission.

Light could not be the same boy his parents had adored eight years ago. He was a completely different man, a killer…a death machine. Would they want him back? L couldn't answer that.

So, he paused and thought. While he knew he couldn't back out now, and refused to stop playing his game with Light, could he…fake a failure? He would destroy that accursed institution, of course. But he could just not save Raito…

The answer lay with the boy's parents, though. So, while he waited for Light's team to go on their next mission, a cat burglar deemed Wedy, he decided to contact the Yagamis again. He reread his email over several times, editing out details and adding in words here and there, before he deemed it ready.

_Mr. and Mrs. Yagami,  
I have indeed located your son. However, for many reasons, I am unable to simply bring him back to you unharmed. I have called in special, private forces to help me. We are working hard on freeing your son. Nevertheless, this may take a few more months. It is incredibly dangerous.  
Which brings me to a very important question. Raito, after spending eight years without proper parental care, will very possibly not be the same ten-year-old boy you dearly miss. I am will to stop this case if you do not wish to discover exactly what has changed about him. I can guarantee, though, that Raito is completely safe at the moment. No harm can or will come to him where he is. Reply as soon as possible._

Finally, L hit the send button and the email began its encryption process, shooting through numerous emails before landing in the Yagamis' inbox, completely untraceable. They would email him in two days at the latest. He wondered briefly if they waited day in, day out, for an update from him in their emails. Or if they could have just moved on with their lives, taking care of their daughter and just wondering what had happened to their first-born. What if it was just a monthly debt they paid, just a bill like any other?

But no, he knew better than that. Not a day went by that the thought of their lost son didn't cross their minds. His monthly bill was a constant reminder.

"I think I remember this Wedy woman," BB shocked L out of his thoughts. He was standing directly behind L, who was perched in his usual crouch, not unlike the fetal position, on the couch in their living room. He craned his neck to see BB, for once calm and almost…solemn. At the elder's inquisitive gaze, BB continued, "A faint haze, as if it's not supposed to be in my memory…But, her picture…she reminds me of…of a person…who I think tried to break _into_ Wammy's…or maybe how…A described a…dream…What if it happened?"

"And we were brainwashed into forgetting?" L inquired.

BB nodded slowly. "Yes." He stared straight ahead, above L's head. "Could it be possible…?"

After a moment's thought, L replied, "Highly probable, 87 percent, actually…" He furrowed his brow, realizing what this meant. Someone had been able to break into the impenetrable fortress that was Wammy's House. And she survived! But Watari couldn't handle that and erased it from everyone's memory…But A was able to remember flashes, like a dream…or he was the one who saw her…

Whatever the case, this woman had valuable information and L needed to speak with her before she was inevitably killed.

So, several days later, L perched himself on Wedy's bathtub ledge in her hotel room. BB had successfully hacked and replaced the devices Light's teammate, Matt, had tried to replicate, just mere hours before. Nobody on their team knew that or would know until it was too late. After all, Wedy would die within the hour.

But first…L had a few questions for her…and she was only too happy to provide him with the information, seeing as she thought it would be killed anyway and it served him right sneaking into her room while she was naked in the tub.

She never saw it coming when she shook his hand and a needle slipped into her wrist…

* * *

**Author's Note: Oh, god, did you notice Mello called BB "backup" for L? I just couldn't help it. Sorry. And I'm sorry if you've noticed my obvious bias towards Mello, as he is the one who keeps getting all the information and whatnot while Near...is an ass...and Matt...seems to exist for comic relief! Oh, god, I'm so sorry, Matty! Luckily I have something planned that's sort of like redeeming him...Nothing for Near. He's still an ass.**

**So, I'm sorry the chapter is so short. I just couldn't write anymore. And you got a lot of info from both parts! I really didn't feel like writing out the whole next mission, only because it would be so similar to the last ones and not that great. You got what you needed and that's really it. I was focusing on the characterization I guess for this chapter...?**

**Have I mentioned how much I hate the name "Mid-Knights"? *sigh* And I was rereading the beginning and realized something: My writing has DEFINITELY developed quite a bit from '09! Eventually, I hope to do a rewrite to 1) get rid of any continuity errors that might have resulted from plot-hole coverings, added plot, and whatnot, 2) get rid of the team's stupid name as well as some of the childish humor ((yes, I'm serious)), and 3) just rewrite it to make it sound better, written by a more educated/advanced writer. ^-^**

**Anyways, I hope you've enjoyed! Review if you wish! ((They help me update faster, juuuuust pointing that out...))**


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